


Know Your Neighbours

by SisterWine



Category: X-Men Alternate Universe
Genre: Disgruntled, Falling In Love, Heartbreak, M/M, Try New Things, bad breakups
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 19:52:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 43,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4758899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SisterWine/pseuds/SisterWine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: Logan has a new neighbour<br/>Disclaimers: Standard disclaimers. The X-Men and their likenesses belong solely to Marvel and 20th Century Fox. No harm meant. No money exchange. Just an idea on my part.</p><p>My characters: Stephanie and Matthew Howlett.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A cool, rainy autumn day had Logan sitting on his front porchstep waiting for his two children to come bounding up the driveway and into the house from a long day at school. It was after school had already dismissed for the day but he had enrolled them in various activities. For his daughter the "genius", he placed her in the Math Club, and his son the ever imaginative one, Drama Prep. Since his wife died only a few short years ago, he thought it best to keep their minds busy so they wouldn't linger on the dark emotions too much.

Like a few on the street, Logan's was a good-sized two story house with a big backyard and front yard, full of soft green grass and one adolescent maple tree. It was a house that his wife, Jean, had wanted and he just couldn't bring it up to tell her no. So, he cared for the yard and house like his wife had, hoping that it would bring him peace for losing his soulmate. Fresh white paint from the summer, and just barely finishing reshingling the roof before the rains came was the only thing to keep him busy when his work day ended and his days off began.

The house across the street had been empty for well over 6 months until a Uhaul truck backed into the driveway and two young men got out and opened the garage door. The driver wore only tight, faded blue jeans and an old Atlanta Braves jersey that was untucked and about as faded as his jeans. A backwards black baseball cap covered his rather long auburn ponytail that hung to near beltloops. White sneakers squeaked and patted almost soundlessly on the wet pavement as the back of the truck was opened and things were being unloaded.

Logan had opted to keep it up for potential buyers so, every other Saturday, he'd first mow that lawn and water the plants with his own watering can before starting on his own yard. Flowers lined the edges of the property and green grass paved the rest of the small but roomy yard. He had been proud of his hard work and hoped the new young owner would appreciate it as well. He'd thought about getting up to go over and introduce himself but halted as one by one his children raced up the driveway to tell their father what happened during the day.

"Dad, you'll never guess who Stephy has a crush on!" The younger boy, who resembled Logan moreso than his mother, laughed and chided his older sister. His blue jeans and white sneakers were soaked from jumping in too many puddles that were luckily not that muddy. And his red long sleeve shirt was spotted from the raindrops that fell on the way home. "Stephy's got a boyfriend, Stephy's got a boyfriend!" He laughed until his taller sibling turned around and shoved him back a step or two.

Long red hair swung over her shoulders and caped a glare at her brother. "Shut up, Matthew!" A beautiful twelve year old girl turned back to her dad, who had stood up to brace for the onslaught of chatter to explain her side of the story. "He's not my boyfriend. Daddy, there is a science fair at the Planetarium next week, and the Science Club has been nominated to present this year." She was a bright girl and chose to speak in intelligent words and phrases to sound more grown up.

Matthew chuckled and darted up the steps to pause behind Logan for a moment while he turned to taunt his sister with another, "Stephy has a boyfriend!" He straightened and sulked as Logan hushed him.

"Enough, Matt." His voice was soft but firm as he hadn't needed to move from his daughter. "Who's the boy?" Giving a hopeful smile at a possible new friend.

Stephanie had always shared a bond with her mother and when her mother died, she closed herself up and dove even deeper into her studies. She made a promise to herself that no upward glances at a boy were permitted for realisation that an abrupt end was only to come in the relationship. "I don't have a boyfriend!" She stomped her foot and crossed her arms, pouting at her dad.

Logan held up his hands as if to back down from a fight. "I didn't say you did, darlin." He stood eye to eye with her but seldom thought as she did.

Shrugging off the argument, Stephanie continued. "His name is Mister Sommers, and he's the head of the judging committee. He's won nine consecutive awards in his theory of light displacement in matter." She continued talking as Logan only nodded and ushered her inside the warm house.

The two sat at the table and drank hot chocolate while laughing and giggling through their homework and waiting for Logan to finish fixing dinner. Occasionally, both Logan and Stephanie had to help Matthew with a problem but very few for Stephanie to need the same help. He was proud of his two children that were succeeding in school instead of becoming hassles. A brilliant twelve year old and her goofy but also quite smart ten year old brother.

"Dinner time. Upstairs and wash up." Logan turned from setting the meatloaf down on the stove and removing the oven mitts. He hustled them to the staircase that faced the front door and came to stand at the livingroom window to watch a pizza boy deliver 6 pizzas to a now house full of people helping move. He counted at least 4 cars of young adults, male and female, entering and exiting the house from both the garage and front door, moving expensive furniture and heavy boxes.

Matthew was the first one down and came to stand beside Logan, peering around his arm at what his father was looking at. "They got kids?" He asked as Logan closed the blinds and mussed Matt's hair.

"Dunno, kiddo. Just saw college kids." He turned and nudged his son into the diningroom/kitchen as Stephanie walked casually down the stairs.

Stephanie had heard most of their conversation and figured who they were talking about, and let in on what she had seen the week prior. "It's a young man with the most unnatural eyes. He was looking at the house last Wednesday with, I guess, his father and a few friends. He came back on Friday and took the sign down. As far as I can see, it's just him." She sat down at the small round table in what used to be her mother's seat, across from Logan. Her plate was in front of her and her food was neatly placed in sections, waiting to be eaten. Four baby carrots in a line, four green beans also in a line and two small slices of meatloaf striped with cool ketchup that faced her.

Matthew finished first, inhaling most of his meal and stood up to take his plate over to the sink to be washed and then placed in the dishwasher. He darted upstairs and into his room to watch television as his favourite program was on. 

"He's not really my brother, is he?" Stephanie asked, giving Logan a hopeful look. She was almost finished with her meal and took slow strides so that she could have a small conversation with her father.

Logan smirked at her question and finished chewing his bite before he answered her. "Fraid so, munchkin." Changing the subject and enjoying the chance to interact with his oldest child, he found himself asking about her day. "Classes okay? They givin ya enough work to do?"

"The classes are fine, daddy. That's the ninth time you've asked me that since school started. The teachers are so overjoyed with the exuberant sophistication in my work, they've seen fit to just mark my papers with an A." She knew she was being a bit exaggerated but found it as a mellow joke between she and Logan of her excellence.

Nodding and catching the joke, Logan smiled. "That's good then."

They finished at about the same time and Logan took her plate with his and let her retreat to her room to examine the night sky with her brand new telescope from her birthday. He washed the plates and forks and placed them in the dishwasher before slipping outside to smoke his half gone cigar, on the front porch. Shaking the match out, his attention was turned towards the leaving cars and screaming kids from across the street.

A small, round porchlight was bright and lit up the doorway and half of the front yard on the house across the street. The new owner waved goodbye to the car loads before catching someone watching him across the street. He stood on the sidewalk, in front of the house, and waited to see the tiny red spark of the match go out before making his way across the wet street to hopefully bum a cigarette. "Got an extra smoke, mon ami? I'm out."

"Just this cigar." Logan stood on the second step and removed the cigar from his lips, offering it to the young man who stopped a few feet from him.

The young man smiled up at him. "Merci." He accepted and took a puff before handing it back to Logan. "Name's Remy. Et toi?" Taking the liberty of introducing himself, he held out his hand for a shake.

"Logan." Logan accepted and nodded back at Remy's house. "Since the Webb's moved out, I've been keepin up the yard and sweepin the driveway, makin it presentable. My two kids helped too. I'm just glad someone finally moved in."

Remy smiled and glanced back at his yard. "Merci beaucoup. My job keeps me on de go so, I'm rarely dere but, I t'ink I can handle it." He turned back to Logan and took another puff on the offered cigar.

"What kinda job?"

"Sales."

Logan nodded. "Ah. Pay good? I see it must be just you, or you and someone else?"

Remy shrugged and puffed again before handing back the cigar. "Family business. Poppa is de president of de corporation."

"Cool."

Remy nodded. "Jus' me in de house but dere's people dat come an' go all de time." Waving Logan to follow him off of the porch and out onto the sidewalk, Remy stared down the street, to the right of the house. As the street was on a high hill, somewhat, he could look out at the lights of the town and point out his father's building. "Dat's Poppa's new building here. Main place is in Nawlins." He pointed to a tall building with at least 15 floors and outlined in an electric blue lighting.

He hadn't realised it but, Remy was pointing to the same building plaza that Logan was security chief for. "LeBeau Industries? Yer dad is Jean-Luc LeBeau?"

"Oui." Was the curt reply. He had been ready to say something else but was stopped as his front door opened and his male moving companion waved to him. "Ah, t'anks for de smoke, homme. Mebbe, I see you later, non?"

Logan caught the other young man in the doorway and nodded before saying goodnight. "Door's open anytime, kid." He watched Remy jog across the street with his hands in his jeans pockets and stop in front of the door to tell his friend about the neighbour he met. Smiling, Logan turned around and started for the porch when a movement from the second floor window caught his attention. 

Stephanie's room had been right above Logan's "office", around the corner from the livingroom. She had been watching the way Logan shared his smoke with the new neighbour, and shook hands with him before he was beckoned back to his side of the street. The look on her face was hard to determine as any one emotion but leaned more towards uncertainty than anything else.

He sighed, bending over to smudge out the cigar and hurried inside as a light misty rain started.

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Stephanie came trodding down to breakfast. She steered clear of her brother's room and was up before Logan even opened her door to wake her. Having spent most of the night staring out the window, at the house across from them, it was summed up that the new neighbour was going to take her father away from her too.

"Mornin darlin. Did you get any sleep?" Logan followed only steps behind her to start the coffee pot.

Stephanie went about her morning ritual with strawberry poptarts and chocolate milk. "Some. I spent most of the night reading a study on molecular physics. Did you know that eye colours in parents send down pure colour to their children, not a mixture?" She had been busy with gathering her hot poptarts out of the toaster, beside the coffee pot, rather than look at Logan. "The child has either brown or green, not both."

Logan looked at her in an uncertain tone. "What brought this on?"

Not looking at him, she gathered her paper plate full of her breakfast and a small glass of chocolate milk and shrugged as she turned to go sit at the table. She sat down with her back to him and broke off a corner of one pastry to eat.

Logan sighed. "You don't like him do you?" Pouring himself coffee into a cup he had set beside the pot the night before, he had turned away from her and waited for the answer. "What's the matter, Steph? You think he's gonna take me away from you, is that it?"

"I didn't say that." Stephanie said quietly as she had finished her bite.

"No but, you were thinking it." Logan came to sit down to her left, at the table. He took a sip and nodded as Matthew walked into the kitchen for breakfast.

Listening partially to what was being said, Matthew butted in. "Didn't say what?"

Logan didn't take his eyes off of her. "Nevermind. Yer sister's just havin a hard time, today."

"I am not." She picked up her poptart and took a bite, ignoring her brother. "I just think he isn't natural. Anyone who washes their car at 3AM, is in dire need of medication." Chewing and swallowing, Stephanie stared at the chair across from her, the one that Matthew had taken the liberty of sitting in.

Matthew chuckled. "Cheating on your boyfriend, Mister Sommers, already?" He had buttered two slices of toast and sipped a small glass of orange juice.

"I detest you." Was her registered reaction.

Logan sighed and closed his eyes momentarily. "Enough. Look," Opening his eyes and staring at Stephanie. "I know it's hard when new people come into the picture. I'm not asking you to just off-hand accept him but, I betcha he knows about what you two are goin through. His dad is Jean-Luc LeBeau. And from what I know about that family is, Mrs. LeBeau also passed away- about 10 years ago." He took a breath and continued. "LeBeau Industries is also in the science department and I bet they're one of the sponsors at the science fair. Don't you think you should at least give him a chance before you pass sentence?" Feeling as though he were yelling at her, Logan backed off and sipped his coffee before waiting for them to finish and pushing them to get their things for school.

\-----------------

The school was only 4 blocks away but since they were running late, Logan gave them a lift before coming back to get ready for work. Stephanie sat in the front seat and wouldn't even anchor a look at her father until they were both getting out to run to class. "Bye dad!" was all that was said on most days but, today was only a day for "Bye."

"Bye guys. See ya after school." He managed to get out before the doors of the brand new white Envoy were slammed shut. He sighed as he watched them hurry into the front of the building, and then pulled away for home.

As he pulled into the driveway, Remy had been out in the front yard with his moving friend. Shutting off the engine and getting out, he turned around in time to see the friend kiss Remy on the lips and then climb up into the cab of the Uhaul. He stood there a minute and watched the truck pull away before seeing Remy wave a hand to him. Smiling as he waved back, he walked to the end of his driveway as Remy sauntered over to talk to him.

"All moved in?"

"Uh, yes. Just small boxes to unpack, now." Looking in the direction of the disappearing truck, to the right, Remy turned and smiled back at Logan. "You don' have to work, t'day?"

Logan cleared his throat. "Yea, I uh actually have to hurry and get ready. That buildin you pointed to last night, is where I gotta go." He feigned a smile as it was a bit uncomfortable for him to admit he didn't have a high paying enough job as Remy. "I'm the security chief. Time to check tapes and catch up on what I've missed for the last two days." Giving Remy a curious glance, he asked. "You goin in?"

Sighing and looking back at the house, Remy shrugged, digging his fingers into his jeans pockets. "Mebbe. Got alot of unpackin ta do. Silverware, towels, dishes, movies, stuff like dat. Gonna clean out de car."

Chuckling low, Logan remembered what Stephanie said during breakfast. "My daughter said you already washed it at 3 this mornin."

Remy blushed. "I get restless durin de night."

"Just let me know when you wanna repave the driveway." Logan laughed, letting Remy catch on and laugh too. "Well, I guess I'd better get to work. If you aren't doin anythin- at about 6- hop on over fer some dinner." Turning back but not moving from his spot, he waited for an answer.

Thinking for a minute, Remy nodded. "Merci. Six sounds good. Might be a few minutes late, business meetin dis afternoon."

"Alright, see ya then." Giving a small wave, Logan turned fully and hurried in the house to change for work.

\-------------------------

With two of his guards out with the flu or vacation, Logan was down to only 3 guards other than him. He had sent the other 3 out to roam the halls and asked one to check camera 6 on the fifth floor as it was acting up. He sat in the semidark room, staring at each of the 12 cameras for three seconds at a time. 

It was a slow day and getting slower by lunch time. The parking lot camera proved to be one of the most interesting cameras of the day, being as Remy's sleak white '86 vette pulled in next to his father's newly waxed black BMW. Logan sat up and took another sip of rapidly cooling coffee.

Remy got out and shut his door, looking around for anyone else in the garage, before proceeding to the elevator that was solely dedicated to traveling straight to Jean-Luc's office. He was nicely dressed in a black suit with a dark blue shirt, leaving the top button undone and no tie. His hair had been combed back and placed in a ponytail that slithered down his back in elegant silk. Black shades hid his beautiful and unique eyes but he took them off as his cell phone in his left pants pocket rang.

Logan fixed his eyes on the single camera and watched intently on how Remy moved while talking to the other person on the phone. Reminding himself of the other cameras, Logan glanced at one camera and then immediately back at Remy. Remy was still on the phone for most of the ride but, as his eyes met the camera's and eventually the watcher, he smiled as if looking straight at Logan. Eyes wide, he sat back and then looked around like someone else had been in the room, or Remy had somehow managed to sneak in.

The call ended and Remy leaned back, resting his slender elbows on the brass railing behind him. When the car came to a stop and the doors opened, he stood there for a moment before exiting out into his father's full penthouse office. "Ya wanted t' see me, poppa?"

Jean-Luc was a very well-dressed businessman who took extreme care in his work and person. His long brown ponytail was pulled back into a neatly secure band while he wore only the finest in Armani. His gleaming brown eyes were accented by his thin face and even thinner mustache. He had been a millionaire since he founded the company at 23, now he looked for better things to do while continuing to enjoy his wealth at the top of the tower. Jean-Luc was a handsome man as well as distinguished enough to afford only the best schools for his somewhat mischievous boy, Remy. A tone he often felt embarrassed by.

"Yes. Sit, please." Jean-Luc looked up from the papers on his desk and smiled at the young version of himself that stood 3 feet from the front of his desk. He motioned to a chair and leaned back in his, clasping his hands together. "How's the new place, Remy? Is it what you've wanted?"

Sidestepping and placing his hands on the arms of a small, rounded brown chair, Remy sat and crossed his legs before answering. "Oui. Met de neighbour last night, an' goin for dinner, t'night." He folded his hands in his lap and smiled at his father. For once, he was glad that the conversation didn't start with an argument.

Nodding and standing up, Jean-Luc came around to lean against the front of the desk and cross his arms. "Just you that's living there, correct?" His tone had changed to a more stern accent as the chat continued without the raising of voices.

Remy inhaled and breathed out slowly. "Poppa, de only reason I moved out was dat I didn't subject you to my private life. Lord knows you don' like my tastes in anythin, so I bought dis house to have my way wit' t'ings. Ain't hurtin nobody in dat neighbourhood, an' we stay indoors. We don' never run around de front yard naked, or fuck while gettin de mail. But, yes, just Remy lives dere."

"Don't take that tone with me. I am still your father, and I deserve respect for raising you after your mother died." Jean-Luc hissed. "Private life or not, I deserve to know what my son is getting into and if he is keeping himself safe. There's people out for not only me but you, as well. I didn't agree to let you move out and into some strange neighbourhood just to mock my parental concerns. The company you keep seem to be the sort that would turn on you if you even think about a wrong turn. Drugs, sex, loud music, and which gendre to go home with seems to be all your generation thinks about. Time to put down some roots, Remy. Meet a nice girl, fall in love and then have a few children later on. Think about your future, Remy. These trollops that you obscenely hang around with won't give you what you deserve." He meant it in the best possible way, however he forgot to take into consideration Remy's feelings in the matter.

The heat he felt under his clothes and deeper into his skin vibrated and demanded action. Without confronting the outburst, Remy unfolded his hands and stood up, the smile had been long ago replaced with a tone of an ill taste. Looking at his father with a cold expression, Remy turned on his heel and headed for the elevator. The door opened immediately and Remy stepped in, back to Jean-Luc as the doors closed again.

Logan watched as Remy turned around and stood in the middle of the car. The smile was gone and the auburn head was hung in sadness. A hand reached up to cover Remy's half-hidden face and made Logan wonder what went on between them. He had watched the entire conversation on another camera but with no audio. He could tell the conversation went from good to not so pleasant in a matter of seconds. Three point three seconds to be exact.

Remy remained staring at the ground until he reached his floor and went straight to his office, slamming the door shut behind him. Throughout the day, he took no calls and only received one visitor to which he closed all the blinds around the huge, glass corner office, and remained there for an hour.

The wonder of the penthouse camera replayed in Logan's mind for the rest of the day. Shrugging his conscious mind back into his over all work, he still thought about what they were talking about. To him, they had the perfect father-son relationship he had wanted with his children when they were grown, but the harsh realities seemed to end as he watched and remembered Remy's private elevator reaction.

TBC........


	3. Chapter 3

"Dad, that guy from across the street is here!" Matthew yelled as he held the door open and turned around to face the kitchen. When he turned back, he didn't even bother to look at Remy as he slammed the door shut on him.Without pausing to correct himself, he ran back upstairs and darted into the guest bathroom to wash up for dinner.

Remy stood there for a moment and raised an eyebrow at the closed door before turning around to stare out at the street. He turned again as Logan had opened the door and apologised for his son's rudeness. Remy only smiled and took a step forward. "Dat's okay. Woulda done de same t'ing." Taking a breath and pushing himself forward a bit apprehensively, he stood in the livingroom and looked about the room.

As he closed the door behind Remy, Logan turned to face the stairs and call up to his children. "Matt, Steph, wash up for dinner. Come meet the new neighbour." Turning back to Remy, he waved him into the kitchen as he lead the way. "Wanna beer, soda, coffee?"

"Beer's fine, t'anks." Remy smiled and followed him, sniffing the lasagna scented air. "Smells good. You cook often?"

Logan didn't turn around as he answered while walking to the fridge and opening the door to pull out 2 MGDs from the top shelf. Closing the door and turning to hand Remy a beer and answer the questions, he smirked. "Like lasagna? Not as good as my wife's but, I'm a damn good cook I think."

Taking the can, Remy looked confused. "Your wife away on business, or she no comin for dinner?" With his free hand, he opened the can and then took a sip, turning as he heard someone enter the room.

"My mother died a few years ago and she didn't take kindly to strangers, so you wouldn't get to meet her even if she was alive." Stephanie came to a halt in the doorway to the kitchen and gave Remy a definate glare of disapproval. She had cleaned up and stood as if she was ready for an argument. Near snug, green jeans and a blue sweater was what she had changed into for dinner as she had felt a chill on her way home. Her long red hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, leaving her bangs to be swept off to the right side.

Remy blinked twice as he didn't know exactly what to say. The hurt and anger Stephanie was giving off seemed to feel as sharp as a slap. "I am sorry. Didn' mean to upset you, petite." His voice was plagued by a low tone as he regained himself and shivered at the hurt. "I'm sure she was a very wonderful lady." He was debating on if he should stay for dinner, or just call it a night.

"She was a very wonderful and beautiful woman." Logan spoke up to break the tension, his eyes lay on Stephanie as she continued to glare at Remy. "Very polite, too." He cleared his throat as cue for her to move on and behave in front of the guest. "Baby, please go get your brother, and tell him dinner's ready." Doing it only to clear the thickened air in the kitchen, Logan turned toward Remy and smiled. "Go ahead and pick a spot. We don't really have any set places so, wherever is fine." He caught the very same hurt in Remy's eyes that he had caught in the elevator, earlier.

Moving to place his can of beer at the spot with his back to the kitchen part, Remy turned around and pasted a smile on before offering to help. As Logan showed him where the plates and silverware were, he thanked him and quietly went about setting the table in a proper manner. "I didn't mean to upset de petite." He whispered, placing the last plate and silverware at his spot.

Logan removed the clean blue oven mits after taking the lasagna out of the oven and closing the door before turning around to face Remy. "Jean passed away about 2 years ago after a car wreck on her way home from work. The kids never really got over it. I guess I haven't either."

Remy thought back to when his mother died, and stared at the last fork on the table. "Momma passed when I was 15. Cancer took her. It had her right from de beginnin, so poppa said. Poppa don't like to talk o' dat stuff. I asked him where she went, he told me she wit' us forever and dat to leave it alone." The words spilled through his mouth like rain as he bottled up tears that threatened to fall at the mere thought of her. "Can understand dey must not like me here, but s'okay."

"Hey, you're Remy, right?" Matthew came into the kitchen and gave him a cheerful smile. He had washed up and held out his hand for Remy to shake.

Accepting, Remy nodded and smiled back. "Oui. Matthew?"

"Yea. You like video games?"

Logan interrupted the conversation. "Don't have time for that stuff, right now, Matt. Have a sit, dinner time." Bringing the bowl of lasagna over to the table, he told Matt to get the cottage cheese and salad from the fridge. "Be right back."

Matt sat to Remy's right but got up again to get the salad and cottage cheese. When he came back and placed them on the table, he looked up at Remy and asked. "Are you really Remy LeBeau? Aren't you like rich and stuff?"

Smiling and laughing a bit, Remy nodded. "Oui. I'm really Remy LeBeau. Poppa's money but I don' do so bad, myself."

"Cool. So, what're ya doin livin across the street?"

Remy raised an eyebrow. He wasn't sure how to respond to that form of question. Nodding, he quickly summed. "Incognito."

"Oh."

\-----------------------

Knocking on her door, Logan peered in as it had been open a little more than a crack. "You okay, darlin?"

Stephanie lay on her bed, face down in her pillow. A bookshelf full of college level books sat to the left, as her bed was in the middle of the room, and her dresser to the right. "Not hungry, go away." Head up so that she spoke plainly, she stared at the wall in front of her. The light shone from the ceiling and gave the room a yellowish tint.

Opening the door all the way and stepping in, Logan came to sit on the edge of her bed with his back to her. "Ya know, punkin, I think of your mother everyday. I miss her the most in the mornin, and direly when I look at the two of you. It kills me to know she isn't comin back but, she never really left us at all. I know you miss her, Steph, but do you think your momma would have approved of you snappin at Remy like that? Especially when he didn't deserve it?"

Stephanie turned and sat up. 'If you missed her so bad, you would have remembered what day this is. You would have remembered we always spend it just the three of us. We didn't even go visit her, today! Why did he have to have dinner here, tonight?" The tears of hurt and anger streamed down her face as she didn't care that she let anyone see.

"I asked him here because I thought you two could get together on your science fair project." Logan said calmly.

Shaking her head and drying her eyes on her right sleeve, she took a deep breath. "You just want to suck up to his dad for a raise."

Logan was shocked that she had the anger and guts to say what she did. "Stephanie Brynne, that's not true. I am just fine where I am at work. If he wants to help out, that's fine. I ain't gonna push for nothin. Young lady, I've been trying to give you and your brother everything I can but, I can't bring back your momma." Logan turned to look at her. "It isn't my fault, or his fault that she's not here. It was a drunk driver that's now servin life. Now, you can stay up here and think about what you said to him, or come downstairs, apologise, and have dinner with the rest of us before it gets cold." He stood up and held out his hand for her to decide if she was going down with him.

Her stomach growled it's answer and demanded she take his hand and have dinner. Standing up and being drawn in for a hug, she dried the fresh tears and cleared her throat, stopping in the hall to wash her face in the bathroom sink.

\-----------------------------

Throughout dinner, Remy and Matthew talked about the newest video games inbetween questions of Science and solar systems from Stephanie. Logan thought it all funny as he sat and watched the scene. Remy seemed to be able to keep up with both of them as he ate but, still goofed on a few questions.

"So, do you have the newest StarBlaster game?" Matt was eager to talk shop on games he had.

Remy finished his bite before looking at him and thinking. "Don't t'ink I do. Good game?"

"Way good. Dad got it for me for my birthday."

"Okay, okay. Let the kid eat. You can ask him after dinner."

Remy gave him a sympathetic look as if saying "thank you" but smiled and finished the rest of his food.

After dinner, Stephanie helped Logan clear the dishes while Remy was dragged upstairs to check out the game collection. "Bedtime's at 9 but, we can play a game or two, if you want?"

"Okay." Remy followed casually behind the eager boy up the stairs and into the last room on the right.

"See, he isn't so bad. Is he?" Logan stood at the sink and washed the dishes while Stephanie dried them and set them on the counter to be put away.

Stephanie didn't answer. She hated admitting she was wrong in anything but conceeded to appease her father. "Yea, he's okay. I guess. Matt seems to love him so, maybe we'll get lucky he'll adopt him so we won't have to deal with-" Catching Logan's eye, she smiled and added. "Kidding, dad."

Logan smiled and handed her the last plate and fork.

At eight o'clock, Remy was rescued from Matt's room to take a look at Stephanie's science project in Logan's office. She had a good start on it, and impressed Remy with how much she knew about what she called "sonic light". They had started a good conversation on what kind of project she had wanted to design with what she had when Remy offered to help out with some ideas.

Again, Logan quietly observed from the hallway before telling her it was time to get ready for bed. "You two can talk shop durin the day hours. School tomorrow."

"Night Mister LeBeau." Stephanie said as she turned to go upstairs.

Remy flinched. "Just Remy. Mister makes me sound like an old man." He smiled and told her goodnight. "Guess I better get home, too. Big meeting tomorrow." 

Following Logan out of the room, Matthew called from the top of the stairs. "Thanks Remy! Night!" 

"Bon nuit, petit." Remy called back and smiled.

They stood on the porch and smoked while they talked about dinner and the kids. "Glad ya stayed. Matt can get a bit too excited when company comes over, and Steph.... well,"

"De fille was fine. I had dat same anger when my momma died and poppa brought someone new in." He stared at the driveway to his house, across from them, and wondered where his friend was. Two minutes later, a blue Yamaha motorcycle pulled into the driveway and a young man got off and removed his helmet. Remy waved to him and he waved back but didn't approach. 

Finishing their smokes, Logan and Remy said goodnight as Remy stepped off of the porch and started across the street to his friend. They met at the front door and seemed to have a less than pleasant meeting as Remy opened the door and led the way in. The porchlight went out but the conversation continued up the stairs and into the bedroom.

Logan stood there a moment to wonder what was going on but only shook his head and went back inside as a chill ran through him.

\-----------------------

Remy had been missing for about a day and Jean-Luc was getting worried. The phone rang and rang, and no one came to the door. It wasn't like Remy to just disappear when he had meetings to attend, or without telling anyone. When no one answered the phone, Jean-Luc rang down to the Control Room to talk to Logan about his missing son.

"Security." Logan's gruff voice answered as he stared at the mix of 10 plus cameras. He hadn't slept much since Stephanie came down with the flu days before. As Jean-Luc spoke, he couldn't help stifling a few yawns. "Yea, I can go take a look. No problem, just let me get Carl in here and I'll head over."

Carl was an older man of about 50, and a bit heavier than Logan. His voice was like sandpaper when he talked but his personna dubbed him as a push over. His short, military-cut hairstyle with a mix of salt and pepper colouring was enough to age his ten years more. He reluctantly agreed to stay while Logan ran over to Remy's to check on him. His only condition was that he could have his lunch an hour earlier while he waited. As he met Logan in the doorway, he asked how long Logan was going to be gone. "Charlie's takin over my rounds so, gotta let him know too." His graveled voice rich with Tennessee drawl.

Logan thought for a minute. "If he's home, just not answerin anythin,... I'd say about an hour."

It had been 2 days since Logan had seen Remy, himself, but even he had to admit that Jean-Luc's wave of worry had carried to him. The whole way there, his mind began to think back to the past week, and the fight Remy had with his friend on the doorstep. He also thought back to 4 days prior when Remy was on the phone, yelling something Logan couldn't understand to the person on the other end. Everything stopped as he pulled into Remy's driveway, next to the dark blue Yamaha. He noticed the young owner, standing at the front door and screaming Remy's name as he pounded his fist against the oak door. Quickly, he got out and hurried to the doorstep to talk to the man. "Kid doesn't keep a spare anywhere?" He asked as the young man stopped and turned to look at him.

"Nope. I have a key but, it's inside. Came back here to get a few things." Eyeing the Security suit, the young man added snidely, "Old man send you to keep tabs on Remy? What kind of a dad doesn't come down, himself, instead he has to send his lackey."

Logan swallowed as this wasn't the time nor place to get into a fight. "Just watch, kid." Releasing a claw and concealing it, he slipped the end into the keyhole and turned, unlocking and opening the door. "I ain't no lackey. The man was concerned about his son."

"Yea, so concerned he couldn't tear himself away from his busy schedule to see if he's alive or not."

Resheathing the claw, Logan opened the door wide and looked in. Everything was dark, for noon. Drapes were closed and black sheets hung over them to keep out any unwanted light. Sniffing, Logan waved the young man inside as he called Remy's name. No answer came back on the first floor so, Logan stared up to the second floor from the bottom of the stairs. "Remy??"

"Yo, Rem! Ya home?" The young man followed Logan up the stairs, cautiously. "The bedroom." Pointing to the room with the only light on, at the top and to the left of the staircase, he nudged Logan in the arm.

Logan took the remaining few steps to the top in great speed before darting into Remy's brightly lit room. "Hey kid?!"

"D'ya find him?" The young man hurried into the room and saw Remy lying fully clothed in jeans and a grey T-shirt, on the floor. "Is he--?"

Logan knelt and looked back. "Call an ambulance." His voice was grave and his expression was even worse.

 

TBC........


	4. Chapter 4

Remy woke three days later and found himself in a shadowed hospital room. The overhead lights were off so only the thin light on the wall, behind him, was on. He was lying on his back with his arms to either side and tubes going from his wrists, nose, private areas, and heart to machines that beeped and breathed from all around him. His clothes had been replaced with a light gray hospital gown and his hair had been down, leaving it to rest on the pillow around his face. Opening his eyes, he stared at the window to his right, oblivious to the other side of the room.

Jean-Luc sat in a small arm chair and dozed. He sat just past the end of the bed and next to the window, with a blanket draped over him. Clearing his throat and stirring, he opened his eyes and immediately looked to where Remy lay. As he caught Remy's eye, he moved the blanket and slowly stood up to stand next to the bed and meet Remy's glazed eyes. "Evening. You're finally awake. How do you feel?" He smiled and placed a hand gently over his son's right hand.

A long sigh and two slow blinks before Remy mustered up enough strength to close his eyes and turn his head away from his father. "Go away." When he did open his eyes, he stared at the door in waiting to see his father walk through it and leave him in peace.

"Doctor Kent says you can go home as soon as tomorrow afternoon, assuming your tests come back clean." Jean-Luc pretended he didn't hear the half-hearted reply, and went on with what he was told. "He said you were clean for drugs, and drinks but found something else that we should be worried about." His expression dimmed and hinted at his growing concern at the real problem with his son. "What happened that night, Remy? Did that boy you were with stir things up, again?"

Remy continued to stare at the door. "He didn' do nothin, poppa. Leave me alone." He wasn't about to tell his father that the pains in his chest were back. It was a working goal that when Remy did get to go home, his father wouldn't get to play nurse to his like Jean-Luc always had. The medication tubes he was hooked to numbed the pain and made it less painful to breathe.

There was a long silence in the room that followed with the ever-present nurse on the intercom, in the hallway, asking for a doctor this or that to report to other stations of the hospital. But it was the silence between father and son that left a dull hum in the room like the air around an old, decrepit cemetery. It was thick and bore away at all possible hope of pure, free air. Neither of them had wanted to speak yet neither could stand to listen to their ears ringing, screaming for them to communicate their problems.

A short, dark haired nurse came in to take Remy's vitals for the two hour point and only smiled at Jean-Luc as she stood on the other side of the bed. She busied herself with her clipboard, writing numbers and short descriptions of Remy's state before leaving as quietly and wordlessly as she came in. Both men had paused to watch her and wait for her to leave before forcing the other through the rest of the conversation.

"Well, I suppose I'll go back to the house and get some clothes ready for you for tomorrow. Anything in particular you want me to bring?" Jean-Luc felt that if he changed the subject, perhaps Remy would turn and look at him. Lightly squeezing Remy's hand, he finally had the reaction he wished. He asked again as his eyes met Remy's.

Remy thought for a minute and answered in his usual shrug of whatever was brought. "Jus' jeans an' a T-shirt." As his choice was said, he turned his head back to face the door, and yawned lazily.

Jean-Luc nodded and silently agreed that Remy needed rest. "Then I'll be back in de mornin." He leaned over and kissed the top of Remy's head in a fatherly fashion, reverting back to the days when Remy was a little boy and going to bed at night. "Bon nuit, an' I'll see you tomorrow." He stood there a moment and watched Remy's expression shrug before releasing his hand and walking to the door. As he was just about to leave, he turned and added, "I'll have the nurse bring you some food in case you're hungry. Je t'aime, mon fils."

\---------------------

The elevator doors opened on the first level parking area, letting Jean-Luc and two other people off before continuing down to the second level. He turned right and headed down the long corridor of cars before coming to a stop at the trunk of a shiny black BMW. The car to the left was an old tan station wagon and the car to the right was a white Envoy and Logan was leaning against the driver's side passenger door, in his work clothes. 

"Shift ended, I came straight here to find out how he is. Figured you and him needed family time so, I didn't go up. He okay?" Logan remained leaning against the door with his arms folded and legs crossed at the ankles.

Jean-Luc sighed quietly and nodded. "He's awake but they aren't releasing him just yet. He was clean for drugs and drinks and whatever else his generation amuses themselves with." He paused for a moment to say a silent prayer of gratitude before continuing. "Thank you very much for checking on him, Logan. I also understand that you live across de street from him...?"

Logan pushed off of the door and straightened his position. "Yea, he came over for dinner a few nights ago and met my kids. We talked a bit and had a beer before his friend arrived, and then he left." He thought it best if he didn't ask anything personal. "Anything I can do? He need anything?"

"Just clothes. I can take care of that. Listen, why don't you go up an' see him, room 312. I'm sure he'd like to see a friendly face, no?" Jean-Luc smiled and removed his car keys from his left pants pocket. He had taken the rest of the workday off from lunch on and was still in his business suit. A nice pressed tan suit with a white shirt and brown tie with a shiny pair of black loafers to complete the ensemble.

Nodding in agreement of a good idea, Logan cleared his throat and took a step forward. "I have my daughter lookin after the house, and gettin the mail so, you just might have a 12 year old venturin over to meet ya." He smiled politely and felt less guilty about taking charge of the situation when Jean-Luc smiled back.

"Very dangerous for her, I have alot of enemies dat are also after my son."

Logan let a short laugh escape. "My wife was a very-- 'special' woman. She taught them more than one way to defend themselves and I don't worry as much as I really should. Since my wife isn't here, anymore, that worry tends to lean more to panic of little things. Stephanie- my daughter- tells me to 'chill out'. I figure, I'm about even with them on the verge of bein teenagers an' all."

This time it was Jean-Luc who laughed out right. "Just wait til deir teenagers. Remy was one so terrible, you couldn't tell him anything he didn't already know. Well, go on up, I'm sure you'd make him smile." He smiled with a hint of sadness. "You must treasure your kids, Logan. That's a very good quality. If ya leave them alone, they resent you for it with every breath they take."

Logan nodded but said nothing more on the subject. "See you tomorrow, sir." He waited and watched for Jean-Luc to back out of the spot and drive out of the garage level before walking to the elevator and going up to see Remy, who was back to staring at the window.

They had moved Remy to his own room at Jean-Luc's wishes due to his son's safety of his father's enemies. The LeBeau Industries was in its 14th year of top sales and product line, and had therefore made some very expensive enemies who would no doubt sink to the level of using Remy for barter. The guard outside of the door and limited visitors was nearly enough to strike curiosity but, the guards who watched him were very good at their jobs.

After making it past the guard on duty, Logan sat down on a stool to Remy's left. "Heard you were awake. Figured I'd stop in and say hi. Doin okay?" The room was still dark and only illuminated by the same small light on the wall, behind Remy. For three days he had worried about the young man and managed to ask to see him, the day before. His worry relaxed a bit as he saw Remy inhale deeply and then blink before turning to look at who spoke to him.

The light behind Remy's head created a small bubble of light that gave him a haloed look. He was pale and seemed to be thinner in the face. His red on black eyes stared widely at the man beside him and he sighed when he noticed it was Logan. "Naw, jus' a vicious rumour." The food Jean-Luc had ordered sat untouched on the table to his right. Small bowls of fruit, a cup of green jello, and some toast on a plate had been looked at like a child refusing to eat lima beans and spinach.

A nod and a laugh as Logan looked over the tray of food. "After three days o' bein unconscious, you aren't hungry at all, huh?"

Remy only shook his head and refused to look at the tray. "Poppa send you all de way up here ta make me eat dat slop? Tell him 'no t'anks' not hungry."

"He wouldn't send it for ya if he didn't care about ya. And, no, I'm just here to see how you've been doin. I hear you get to go home tomorrow, good." A smile was simple but seemed appropriate.

Smiling tiredly, Remy nodded. "Get outta dese damned tubes an' wires an' inta a nice warm bed." Snapping himself quiet and thinking, he asked Logan what he couldn't bring himself to ask his father. "Alex. Alex been here?"

Logan was hesitant in answering and took well over a minute and a half to form the words. "You mean that kid you were with, last week after dinner? I don't know about here to see you but, I think your dad told him to 'busy himself elsewhere.' He seemed pretty shook up while waitin for the ambulance, sayin 'please don't let him be dead' over and over." A frightened expression passed over Remy's face and gave Logan a cold shiver down his back.

"Knowin poppa, he put him on de first plane to Tibet." 

"If he means that much to ya, I spose I could give him a ring and let him know yer okay....?" Either by choice or by just being so tired and needing sleep, the connection eluded Logan of Remy and Alex.

Remy thought a moment, staring into Logan's blue eyes. "Non." He sighed. "I call him tomorrow an' tell him Remy's okay. Merci."

\----------------------

Jean-Luc sat in the waiting room for well over 3 hours. He waited for any news on Remy and when he was allowed to take him home. Sitting patiently, he read a magazine of world events and occasional interviews of the top important people in business. Glancing up every now and then to watch doctors and/or nurses pass by, he began to worry if he'd be able to take Remy home at all. 

Finally, Doctor Kent walked up to him and smiled. "He's ready to go home now. We've changed the oils, rotated the tires, checked pressure levels and put in a 'new car' scent." A young man in his late thirties, with blondish brown hair and a moderate humour to his nature, stopped 3 feet in front of Jean-Luc and held a clipboard to his side. "The only thing that worries me, is his very high mileage he's put on himself." Waiting for Jean-Luc to close the magazine and place it on the table to his right before standing up, he continued. "The boy is too young to have bypass surgery, or a heart attack but, if his condition goes untreated properly, he will end up 2 floors down, in the morgue. But, for now, he is ready and adamant about leaving whether or not he has clothes on." He laughed quietly and added. "He is changing now, so if you'll come with me, we can begin the painstaking process of getting your autograph in a few fanbooks."

"Mais oui." Exhaustion filled Jean-Luc's voice as he stood up straightly and brushed the wrinkles out of his slacks. He followed the young doctor to the nurses station and began paperwork to sign him out and get prescriptions for Remy. Eventhough, he was tired, Jean-Luc was willing to take the rest of the day off to stay with Remy at home and was about to stay for the rest of the week.

Kent stood behind the counter and handed Jean-Luc packet after packet for him to sign and told him instructions for the next few days what Remy was allowed to do and shouldn't try. "Make sure he has plenty of rest and doesn't overexert himself in any way. And, tell him to give up smoking. Are you staying with him, or checking on him randomly?"

Jean-Luc finished signing the last packet or papers before he looked up to answer. "He'd like to tell me to leave him alone, and I think I might ease up on him but, he's young and foolish. He has a friend that might take presidence over his father but, we shall see." As he finished his statement, an orderly wheeled an impatient looking Remy up to the counter. "Ready?"

Remy nodded.

"Merci Doctor. Hope to see you a long time from now." Smiling curtly, Jean-Luc pointed the direction to the elevators and followed behind the orderly as Remy was wheeled down the corridor.

The elevator ride was long and quiet one and all three seemed to sigh in relief as the doors opened to their floor on the parking levels. The orderly followed Jean-Luc to the car and waited as Jean-Luc opened the front passengar door before picking Remy up out of the chair and helping him to sit down in the car. He was thanked and told goodbye by both men before turning around and wheeling the empty chair back upstairs.

Closing the door on Remy's side and walking around the back to the driver's side, Jean-Luc exhaled and unlocked his door before opening it and getting in. "I have a meeting with your brother in the morning as he's flying up to do some work here. You have a choice, put up with me for the next week, or Henri can watch you."

The motion of the car backing out of the spot and moving towards the exit made Remy slighlty dizzy. "You say dat like I'm a child, poppa. I ain't dyin or dat inept enough to need a babysitter. Merde, you'd prolly have Remy move back in wit' you forever if he was." It was slurred with medication and mainly said underbreath but he really didn't care if his father heard or understood him at all. He stared out the passengar window for most of the way back to his house and only perked at people he thought were Alex, on little blue Yamahas, in traffic.

"You are my child, Remy, and when you refuse to deal with your condition..... someone has to step up and take care of you, for you. Having that boy around to pretend he's your mother, is not what I mean. I'm doing this to help you live longer, not kill yourself faster." Eyes never leaving the road, Jean-Luc spoke with a tone that demanded Remy listen to what he had to say. "Ignoring it killed your momma, and I refuse to let my son follow in her thinkin."

"I'm not momma, poppa. I jus' don't see why I have to live in fear of dis stupid problem when dere's much more to life den hospitals. I don' want you, or Henri treatin me like a baby. Ya never did when I was growin up so, stop doin it now!" Remy turned his head to look at his father, who didn't look at him. Turning back to the window, he rest his right elbow on the armrest on the door and rest his chin in his hand.

Jean-Luc left it alone and remained quiet for the rest of the drive to Remy's house.

\-----------------------

The front door was unlocked and opened by Jean-Luc but it was Remy who walked in first. He was pushed away but stayed close to Remy, with his hands flinching to catch Remy in case the young man waivered in step. His chance to help came a moment later as Remy stepped inside and immediately swooned and fell back against his father. "You alright, mon fils?" Remy's back hit his chest with a thud as his arms wrapped around him.

Remy pushed away from his father. "I'm fine," he huffed. Continuing over to the sofa, in the livingroom, to the right of the door, Remy delicately lowered himself to lie down on the long piece of furniture. The sofa was pushed against the far left wall and faced the window that let him see Logan's front yard and driveway. "Joy. Logan's home." He smiled as he watched the white Envoy pull into the driveway.

Jean-Luc shut the front door and walked into the livingroom. "Can I get you anythin?"

"Non. Just tired, poppa. Go home." He hadn't meant for it to sound rude but, it was the truth. Remy was exhausted form riding and straining to walk upright without falling over or needing help. He was rather looking forward to sleeping and possibly watching TV later.

As Jean-Luc was about to protest leaving his son, a blue Yamaha pulled into the driveway and parked beside Jean-Luc's BMW. 

A young man with a helmet in his hands, hurried into the house and ran to Remy's side. Stopping a foot from Remy, his eyes caught Jean-Luc's uneasy expression. "Remy! Glad you're okay. You had me so worried." Alex smiled, relieved but didn't approach as Jean-Luc watched them intently. His blond hair was matted to his head, in sweat, and his green T-shirt heaved with every breath he puffed from running.

After a long moment of silence passed, Jean-Luc moved. "Since dere's someone else here, I should get back to work. Will stop back by later to check up on you, Remy." He leaned forward and kissed Remy's forehead before gruffly telling Alex "bye" as he turned to leave.

When the door shut, Alex lunged forward and planted a kiss on Remy's lips. "I've missed you so much." He hugged him and then pulled back to talk to him. "I tried to come see you but, your dad said no, and had a guard. Your neighbour told me you were okay. He said you wanted to tell me yourself but, I dragged it out of him." Kneeling beside him, Alex smiled and kissed his lover again.

Remy smiled back and ran a hand through Alex's hair. "I'm fine, cher."

"Good." Said curtly before starting another thought. "Now, what the Hell happened? I was shit scared out of my mind that I killed you after I punched you!"

Remy shook his head and sighed. It was time to come clean, not just to Alex but to Logan, and his father. "Wasn't you, or no one else. Had dis problem for a long time. Have dis murmur, an' sometimes it gets de better of me."

"This happened before?" Alex sat back on his haunches in disbelief.

Remy nodded.

Alex was slightly hurt. "Why didn't you tell me?! I wouldn'ta punched you!" 

Shaking his head, Remy reached out to draw Alex near. "Ya don' need ta worry 'bout ol Remy. Been t'rough dis before an' survived." He reclined with his back against the armrest and hugged the younger man before stifling a yawn.

Wiping a tear away, Alex sat back and asked. "You want me to help you upstairs, or you just gonna stay there?"

Remy hunkered down into the soft, brown material of the sofa and rolled onto his left side, facing Alex. "Stayin here. Mebbe watch some TV, later. Ya don' have to stay to watch me sleep." He smiled as he stared at the young man's face.

"I know. But, I'll go get you a blanket and pillow, and then cover the window up. Took them down to wash them, just had that one left to put up." Standing up, he leaned over and kissed Remy again as he told him he'd be right back. Hurrying about his task and grabbing extra blankets and pillows from the upstairs closet, he came back to find Remy sound asleep. Dropping the items to the floor, he picked up a thin blanket and opened it to drape it over Remy before making himself a pallet on the floor. With his head pointed towards Remy, and having it made to look like a bed, he covered the window to darken the room with the cloth it had.

Laying down on the carpeted floor, Alex took one last look at Remy's sleeping face before snuggling down into a nap, himself.

 

TBC...


	5. Chapter 5

It was 8 the next morning when Remy rolled over and opened his eyes. He had been laying on his right side, facing the back of the sofa. It was hot, under the blanket, and snuggled so close to the back that when he rolled over and pushed the blanket away from him, he shivered. Opening his eyes slowly, he squinted at the bright sunlight that poured into the room.

"Alex." His voice was lethargic the first time he said the name. By the second time, he had sat up and cleared his throat. "Alex...?" Squinting still, he raised his left arm to cover his eyes from the glare. 

The pallet on the floor was gone, and Alex was nowhere in sight. Calling for the younger man one last time, Remy stood and steadied himself from swaying before making his way to the stairs. After waking up once, the night before to use the restroom, Remy made notes of what and who was where. He recalled waking up at about 7.30, and seeing the television on with no or little sound, and having Alex help him to the downstairs bathroom, around the corner. Telling Alex to "go home" half a dozen times and getting the same refusal each time, he thought that he had finally made himself clear.

Taking one stair at a time, Remy eased himself up to the top and stood there a moment to shake the drowsiness off before continuing into his room. "T'ought you went home." He spotted the young man sitting on the right side of the bed, hanging up the phone and smiling up at him. Remy had been curious as to who he was on the phone with but dropped it as Alex stood up and came closer to him.

"Uh,-- no, just had a few calls to make and didn't wanna wake you." Sounding as if he had been caught doing something wrong, Alex smiled and kissed Remy's cheek. "What are you doing up here?"

Remy blinked. "I live here." He couldn't resist a sarcastic remark. "Was gonna take a shower and mebbe wake up before I have somet'in to eat."

Alex looked anxious. "Oh. Well, do you need help....? How about a nice long bath, instead?" He wrapped an arm around Remy's back and placed a hand on Remy's chest to hold him up. The look on his face was that of thinking Remy was near death.

Sighing, Remy shrugged the young man off. "I tol' poppa, I'll tell you. Don't baby me. I ain't dead, or dyin. Just wanna take a shower, den mebbe get to work."

"Remy, if you're goin to work-- like that, um, you're gonna get the same reaction from your dad." Alex understood Remy had to do things for himself but he felt warning him was a good step. "Why not let me help you take a shower, and we can catch up on 'things'....? Might as well stay here anyway, your dad called about a half hour ago and asked if you were awake." Sitting back down on the end of the bed that was just a few steps away from Remy, Alex waited for a reply. "I told him you were sound asleep still and he said to let you sleep."

Remy sighed again but didn't look at or answer Alex as he started for the bathroom, across from the bed. He had taken his shoes off when he got up to use the restroom at 7.30. His socks felt funny as he walked across the carpet in them. Stepping from the carpet to tile, in the bathroom, he lowered the lid on the toilet before unbuttoning his jeans. Sitting down on the toiletseat lid to the right of the door, Remy started pulling up on his shirt. The medication he had taken after his restroom trip was taking more time than he liked wearing off. Another deep sigh in annoyance as he turned his head to look at Alex on the bed. "Okay. Come help me." The bathroom was a considerable size for the two of them to fit in. With a spa-bath to the left of the door and the double sink to the right of that, the shower was straight ahead.

That very phrase was music to Alex's ears. It wasn't often that Remy asked for help, and even less that he let someone hang around long enough for him to ask. Eagerly, he stood up and walked over to where Remy sat and began helping him with his shirt. He knew Remy liked hot showers, so in between helping him to stand, Alex leaned over and started the water in the shower. Kissing Remy's lips, he unzipped Remy's jeans before pushing the boxers and denim down to Remy's ankles.

He sat back down and let Alex remove the rest of his clothing before helping him back up and into the shower. Remy leaned against the inside wall and let the door shut between them as he watched Alex divest himself of his own clothing before joining him. The cool, dark brown squares on the wall felt nice as the heat of the water softly blanketed them. Remy hadn't wanted to move, he just wanted to stand there and let Alex wash him and dry him before a possible romp in bed.

Since Alex was under the waterspray, Remy decided to give him the scrub-down treatment first. As Alex picked up the green shampoo bottle, Remy only smiled and shook his head as he took the bottle from him. The blond hair turned light brown as it was weighed down by the water, Remy opened the bottle and poured a puddle of shampoo into his left palm. He replaced the bottle to the inset on the wall, beside them and rubbed his hands with the shampoo. Reaching up and beginning to thoroughly scrub Alex's hair, he was kissed again. Continuing to wash Alex's thick blond hair, Remy smiled and kissed him back. 

The soft kisses were the playful ones, and the deeper, more intimate ones were soon to follow. Alex's hands moved over Remy's chest as if he were touching glass. The massaging of his hair was bringing out low moans and hums as his lips caressed Remy's lips, and jawbone, and neck. By the time they reached Remy's collarbone, both men were moaning and smiling. 

With his hair full of shampoo and Remy's hands that idly swirled his fingers into the soapy mass, Alex began to work his way down Remy's godlike body. Kisses, licks, and soft breath tickled Remy's collarbone and neck. He had thought he was being pushed back to give Remy some air but Remy only smiled at him and held him back, under the spray to rinse the shampoo out. The same massagings were applied to the water as they were to the soap in Alex's hair to which he only smiled and hummed. Glancing beside him, he scooped up the green conditioner bottle and stepped forward out of the spray.

Remy obliged him with the second bottle and repeated his methods. Nimble fingers tightened as the kisses and licks started again. The hums now came from him as the mouth moved to his chest. Lingering lips on Remy's left nipple made his fingers tighten in Alex's hair even more as a warm, wet tongue soaked the tiny pink nub. His erection was at full attention as Alex kissed his way down to his belly button. Head back, eyes closed and a loud gasp as the tip of Alex's tongue teased the cleft in Remy's belly button.

Glancing up every so often at gasps Remy had made, Alex continued to kiss his way down to his lover's angry erection. He tasted delicious and spicy and sweet all rolled into one with a hint of bitter salt from the sweat that trickled down the flat stomach. Down on his knees, Alex looked up fully to see Remy in near writhing expressions before he smirked and aimed to set the older man into overload. Dragging his tongue slowly up the length of Remy's manhood, he couldn't help but laugh at Remy's quiet gasps and hums, fingers still lazily massaging Alex's hair. Circling the tip of his tongue around the head and dipping every so often into the hole, he paused for breath before swallowing the generous length.

"Unh.... dieu!" Remy gasped quietly, his head was still leaned back and his eyes remained closed until Alex managed to bring him to climax. His hips bucked outward and spasmed as the mouth continued. He opened his eyes and tilt his head forward to watch as Alex's head bobbed there until Remy held him still and came in generous amounts, the tip of his erection nestled nicely against the back of Alex's throat. "Mmm." He breathed, eyes closing again in concentration as the mouth continued to work around him.

When Alex stood up, he caught a brief moment of bliss on Remy's face as he leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. Turning to return the favour with washing Remy's hair, he was stopped as he reached for the shampoo. A smile quirked as Remy reached for the soap and the blue puff that dangled by a cord that was wrapped around the bottle's neck.

Unraveling the cord and wetting the puff, Remy swirled the soap onto the nylon fabric and began soaping Alex's shoulders and arms. He had turned the younger man around so that his back faced him and lightly scrubbed in tiny swirls down to Alex's tailbone. He giggled and nipped at places on Alex's shoulders and neck that the spray had already washed away the soap. Moving closer and wrapping his left arm around Alex's waist, Remy began soaping inbetween the firm cheeks before setting the puff back onto the alcove and placing his erection into the soapy crack.

Alex moaned and leaned forward, into the spray while Remy's body pressed against his back and lips against his right shoulder. His hand pressed flatly against the wall in front of him and Remy's erection slid slowly into the soapy hole. He gasped as Remy's pelvis met his backside. Gasping even louder as Remy began a slow rhythm and making him spasm backward, into the body that was giving him the wonderful attention.

***********

It was lunchtime, and Alex was in the kitchen staring into the fridge. He had taken the liberty of removing a corner of sheet that was draped over the window, across from the kitchen, to let in more light. Alex bent over with his right hand on the handle of the door, wearing only Remy's white towel around his waist. Beer, boxes of Chinese takeaway, a carton of 2% milk and a jug of Florida orange juice occupied the top shelf and anything below was mainly boxes of pizza and other various condiments. Sighing and reaching for the carton of milk, Alex stood up and opened the carton to take a drink. As he tipped his head back and raised the carton to his lips, he spotted, out of the corner of his eye, Remy's neighbour from across the street coming over with papers in hand. Taking a drink and lowering it before walking over to the door before Logan could ring the bell, Alex opened the door in time.

Logan stood there on the front porchstep and quirked a look at the young man standing in the doorway. "Afternoon. Came to give the kid his mail since I forgot last night, and it looked kinda dark in here. Also figured I'd see how he was doin." Nonchalantly giving Alex the once over, Logan made a note to himself to keep quiet on his thoughts. He decided to take his lunch break to deliver the mail, seeing as he wouldn't be home until later in the evening, Logan had become curious to how Remy was fairing. 

Alex leaned on the door with his right shoulder, his right hand held the door just above his head. "He's uh-- upstairs, sleepin. He should be awake this afternoon, if you want to talk to him?"

"Naw, just let him sleep." Handing the mail to Alex, Logan turned and caught a scent on the air that was more than just the musk of sex. Turning back, he added. "Tell him I hope he's feelin better." He smiled as he turned back and headed across the street to his own front door. He could feel Alex's eyes on him as he unlocked the door and went in.

Closing and latching the door, Alex turned around and heard the low hum of his cellphone as it vibrated its way across the bar. Hurrying across the room to answer it, he had just barely said "hello" when the man on the other end began asking him questions. "What...? ......no, not yet....... Look, I haven't had time to-.... Alright! I'll get him to tell me, just don't-- What? Why next week?..... oh. Okay, just.... leave him to me." He was about to hang up when the person on the other end commented again. "Yea yea, you just make sure you have everything ready, that way neither of us'll screw up."

Hanging up, he tucked his phone into a drawer under the counter of the bar and turned to go back upstairs. Making his way to the top stair, he saw Remy sit down on the bed, his side. He sighed. "Great." Walking back into the room, he matched eyes with Remy and continued carefully to the end of the bed and dropped the towel onto the floor. He climbed slowly up to Remy and kissed him before sitting back on his knees and looking at the man who narrowed his eyes. "What's the matter?"

"Who're ya arguin wit'?" Monotonous voice over slitted eyelids. He raised his eyes to the young man to get an answer.

Alex smirked nervously. "Just some business I had to take care of, I guess I should get back to the office....." Before Remy could ask what kind of business, he leaned forward and kissed him as he eased Remy back down to the bed. "Maybe after a nap, hm?"

A hand on Alex's chest pressed them apart. "Don't hide, cher. You in de wrong house for dat."

Eyes blinking widely at him, Alex took a moment to let the emotion sink in before his next move. "Remy, you got nothin to worry about. It's just some business, I'm supposed to talk to a guy that has some information. That's all. Now, can we please crawl under the covers and snuggle..... I'm gettin kinda cold here."

********

Logan walked in and closed the door before reflexively locking it and taking a moment to stare out the peephole at the house across the road. "Hm." He wondered about the boy that met him at the door and reeked of fear and misdealings. Logan stood there a moment longer as he heard soft footsteps on the stairs behind him. "All yer homework done, baby?" Not turning around to see who it was he was talking to, he blinked at the peephole and took a deep breath.

"I haven't had homework since the fourth grade, dad." Stephanie stopped on the stairs and sat down on the third one up from the bottom. "That blond guy is creepy. When I tried to take the mail over and see how Mr. LeBeau was, he was going through his car and acted real skittish when I asked him what he was doing." Knees together and arms folded, resting atop them as they were pulled up to have her feet rest on the next step, she waited for Logan to turn around. "His mind had more doors than a maze. I don't see how Remy keeps company with him."

Giving one last look and blindly reaching to make sure the door was locked, Logan turned around. "I dunno darlin. Remy has his own version of events in his house so, it ain't our call. And I thought we had a deal, don't use your powers on just anybody?" He gave a scolding look that was only half-hearted. His scold turned to curiosity at her words. "What do ya mean, 'more doors than a maze'?" Logan came to sit down beside her and wrap an arm around her shoulders.

Stephanie had changed from her school clothes to a shower to her warm sweatsuit and double-knit socks. Her hair had been still wet but combed back into a long braid that hung down her back. "I mean a maze, like-- well, like he was hiding something. When I interrupted him, he was thinking about some papers in like a notebook or something. Did you see Mister LeBeau?" She turned her head to look at her father as he bit his lip and thought of how Alex answered the door.

"Nope. The kid was asleep and I wasn't about to check on him." As he patted her back, she coughed horribly and made him give her a concerned look and feel for a fever. He had come home to check on her, as she had been home all day with a strange cold. Logan stopped her from going to school when she coughed so hard it gave her a bloody nose at breakfast. 

She shrugged and coughed again. 

Logan sighed and stood up. "I'm gonna call the doc and get you an appointment. We gotta find out where this came from."

Stephanie nodded and yawned as she lay her head against the banister.

"Soup?"

She nodded and stood up. "What was wrong with him, anyway?"

"Who?"

"Remy."

Logan was taken aback by her question as she hadn't asked before. "He had somethin wrong with his heart, baby."

Stephanie sat down at the table and watched as Logan gathered the pot and can to make chicken noodle soup. "He doesn't have AIDS, does he?"

He stopped and turned around to meet her eyes. "No. Just somethin was wrong with his heart and that made him sick."

"Oh." She shrugged. "Do homosexuals always have those kind of problems?"

Logan had turned back and started fixing the soup again but stopped once again and spun around, dumbfounded. "Where did you hear that?" 

"I saw them kiss and--.....stuff."

"When was this?"

Stephanie shrugged and fidgeted with the salt shaker. "The night that they had a fight over something, and the next morning the ambulance took him away. Remy was upset that the shades were open and something else. Then that Alex guy started kissing him and trying to undress him but Remy pushed him away, that's when he punched Remy and stormed out of the house."

Logan turned the burner on and placed the pot of soup on the orange glow before he turned around to face her. "Darlin, you really shouldn't spy on the neighbours. And two, Remy is a big boy and capable of making his own decisions on his life. Does it bother you that he prefers men?" He came to sit down across from her and folded his hands on the table.

Shrugging again and not bringing her eyes to meet his, Stephanie added. "Not really. He just seems like he would have women hanging all over him,..... not men."

"How do you know he doesn't?"

She sighed and kept her stare averted from him until he got up to stir the soup. "Is he still going to help me with my project?"

Logan stirred the soup. "That you'd probably have to ask him. Do you still want his help?"

Stephanie put her head down on the table, resting it on her left hand. "Yes...."

 

Continued...


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fic written with help of Esprit. Thank you so much!

It was later in the afternoon when Remy had put on his faded jeans and T-shirt and came outside for a smoke and a breath of fresh air. He had watched Alex leave to go home and then to work- so he said- and hadn't felt like going back in just yet. Remy strolled down the driveway in his bare feet and stood at the end of the sidewalk to stare at Logan's white Envoy that took up most of his driveway, across the street.

With fingers in his front pockets and an unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth, he looked up and down the street for cars before casually making his way over to Logan's yard. Up the drive and onto the porch, he stopped at the door and hesitated before knocking. He knocked twice and took a step back, turning around to light his cigarette, and waited.

The door opened and Logan stepped outside to talk to him. "Hey kid, how ya feelin?" He closed the door behind him and smiled as Remy turned around, removed the smoke from his lips and smiled back.

"Je suis tres bien,..... mostly." Remy shrugged and glanced at the floor a moment. "Just stopped by to say merci for watchin de house. Alex told me ya stopped by earlier but Remy was asleep."

Logan nodded lightly. "Yea, he uh- looked hungry so I didn't want to keep him." Not wanting to offend Remy by saying what he was thinking, Logan only mumbled the words before leaning back against the doorframe. "You sure you really wanna be smokin, now?" He raised an eyebrow at the smoke but his tone was only curious.

Remy nodded as he took a long drag. "Alex- he's only after Remy's money, non?" The smoke from the cigarette rolled out of his mouth like crashing waves of white and gray. "Was actually lookin for de petite. She say she wan's Remy ta help her, no?"

"Yea, but she ain't feelin too well. I think you better wait 'til tomorrow." 

Nodding and checking his phone that had been concealed in his pants pocket, he agreed and told Logan he needed to get some work done as well. "Wish de petite well." He said with a smile. "See you tomorrow, Logan." He waved goodbye and turned to head back to his side of the street. His phone rang in his hand and he answered it as he had already gotten to te middle of the street. "Oui...? Ah, yes....." His voice trailed off as he got farther and farther away and back inside his own house, locking the door behind him.

***************

Remy stepped up to the door of his neighbor's house and knocked, a little uncertain about how he was going to be recieved. When no one answered, he rang the bell and listened to the faint chime inside. He tried to remember all of the science projects he had done as a kid so he could have them fresh in his memory. He stood there in just jeans and a faded blue T-shirt that barely fit him. His pants hung off his hips and his shirt had been untucked that he resembled a rock star on laundry day. His auburn locks had been combed back and placed nicely into a ponytail that lay between his shoulderblades.

Stephanie had been up in her room, lying on the bed and facing the end, studying when she heard the bell and pushed herself to sit up from her stomach to go answer it. Red jeans, a sweatshirt that had been Logan's, and her white tennis shoes had been what she changed into from her school clothes. Her red hair cascaded down her back and had been held at bay from her face by a thin, pink headband that made her look a bit more older than she was. Wandering curiously down the stairs, she expanded her mind to the person behind the door but only felt their emotions, nothing else. Opening the door, she was caught off guard by seeing Remy standing there.

"Bon soir, Stephanie." He said with a smile.

"Hello, Remy." She smiled back. "Are you feeling better, now?"

"Fit as a fiddle, but we ain' studyin' music, are we?" He smirked.

Stephanie tilted her head to one side and quirked a questionable note at him before smiling and taking the hint. "Close. However, music is an entirely different tune of science." She stepped back and offered him inside.

Remy smiled at her and stepped through the doorway. "Oh, dat's right, you mentioned y' were gonna be workin' wid sound. You wanna show me your experiment so far?" He asked.

Nodding and closing the door behind him, she led him to the garage through the kitchen. As they passed the back porch, she waved to Logan mowing the backyard lawn.

Remy nodded to him on his way by and smiled, then turned his attention back to Stephanie.

Looking up from his mowing, Logan smiled and waved back to both of them as they passed.

The garage had been empty from the vehicle, which made room for a banquet table that displayed her already started science project. Several mirrors, a flashlight, a light bulb, copper wires, and a carboard milk carton with a side missing lay ontop of a big piece of poster board. Flipping the lightswitch on, and leading Remy over to the table, she began to tell him what she had started.

"Well den, let's get started, non?" He came around to stand on the other side of the table, across from her and took a moment to familiarise himself with the project.

Stephanie leaned against the table, watching what he was doing with a few mirrors. "I tried to bring your mail to you, the other day but the guy that was there was kinda busy so, I didn't bother him. Is he your best friend, or something?"

Remy pursed his lips before he spoke. "If I had one... I think he'd be it... but he ain't what I would call a friend." Remy felt he wa a pretty solitary man.

"What would you call him, then?" When he didn't answer but only shrugged, she continued. "No girlfriends, or family?" She watched him and noted his expression.

A small smile tugged at the edges of Remy's lips as he worked with the mirrors. "I didn' choose m' family, so I can't really say dey're friends eider. An'... I've never had a girlfriend," Remy admitted quietly, wondering how the sharp child in front of him would take that.

"I-i-is he your .....?" She wanted to say the word as she thought it in her head. Stopping herself and thinking back to what Logan had told her in the kitchen Stephanie only bit her lip and "hmm-ed".

Looking at the little girl, Remy raised his eyebrows. "My... boyfriend?" he asked bluntly.

Blushing nervously, she averted her eyes and nodded as she added. "Yes." She glanced up as the air about him had suddenly changed. "I told dad about something I saw that guy do. He said that was your business."

"What... what was it?" Remy asked, a bit defensive, but hiding it.

Stephanie didn't answer right away, only averted her eyes again and toyed with her fingers on the table. "I saw him kiss you and-- sort of-- try to take off your shirt." She couldn't bare to look at him and became slightly annoyed with her hair that managed to slip over her left shoulder, sweeping it back with her hand, her mouth made a "tsk" sound.

Remy smiled a little shyly and let out a short breath, a little embarrassed at having been caught by his neighbor's kid. "Sorry if dat made y' uncomfortable, petite.... I didn' realize anyone was lookin'...."

Smiling and remembering watching him, through her telescope as he washed his car in the middle of the night, she blushed. "Well, it isn't everyday that a neighbour moves in across the street and dad invites them over for dinner." She paused. "Why do you....? How- how is it you can just kiss him like that?"

Smiling, Remy said awkwardly, blinking at her, "Um... I don' understand, petite... I just... kiss him."

"Oh." Feeling a little stupid at how to approach the conversation, she stepped back a moment. "Forget it. Dad says it's your thing but when you got sick, I thought it was from you being homosexual." She cringed slightly at the word but continued as she tried to make her point. "Did he hurt you?"

"Non, petite... it was... I was born wid de reason I had t' go to de hospital," he said quietly. "But if y' curious 'bout somethin', y' don' gotta ever be afraid t' ask me. I kiss him because I like him... You too young to know about dat?" he asked with a smirk.

She thought about her best friend and what it might have felt like to kiss them. Shaking her head back to the present topic, she nodded and agreed that it was a grown up thing. "Do you like my dad?"

Remy's mouth dropped open. He swallowed. "Y' dad is a real nice man, petite..." he said, not looking at her. What was he supposed to say-- he had the hots for her dad?

"I could tell when you first moved in." She smiled. "My mom used to say that he was a catch she was lucky to snare."

Shyly, Remy smiled and looked at the floor. "Oui... she's right about dat... but how did you know as soon as I moved in?" What had he done that gave him away?

"When you introduced yourself, you took a puff of his cigar. Gross, unsettling things, but it didn't bother you like it would anyone else." The redness in her face crept up as she realised she might have a crush on him, even if it was only puppy.

Remy noticed the red in her face and could sense the affection. It made him a little uncomfortable, but he wasn't going to let it get in the way of his relationship with any of them. "Does it... boder you... dat I like y' dad...?" he asked.

She had to think about the question. Stephanie hadn't exactly known of many people that let her ask them what she was asking Remy. "Not really..... kinda?.... no, not so much now, although it is hard to get used to the idea." A snap inside her made her look up at him and hope he understood as love wasn't really a strong point for her. "I'm sorry."

"Y' don' have t' be sorry, petite... Y' feel what y' feel..." he shrugged and looked back at the mirrors, not really concentrating on them, just using them as something to look at. 

"I'm sure I wouldn't know how to answer things like this but, I didn't mean to be nosey." She handed him another mirror and wrinkled her nose in thought about the project.

"I don't mind, petite." He knew how hard it was growing up without a parent and feeling like he had to protect his family.

"So, did that guy- your boyfriend- find what he was looking for in your car?" She asked but hadn't really paid attention to what she was saying. Placing another part to the project, she bit her lip as her words finally came back to her.

"I didn'... realize he had lost anythin' in dere..." He said. "Y' watche de house quite a bit, don' you?" he asked, starting to get a bad feeling about Alex.

"Uh, yea, I guess I do. Dad is a security agent and is always watching for things out of the ordinary. When I was trying to bring you your mail, he was... uhh... going through your car. I thought you asked him to find something." Her eyes opened wide as she felt his rhythm of thought tense at the mention. "Just making sure you're okay."

"I appreciate dat very much, petite," he smiled. "How would y' feel if I asked y' t' keep... keepin' an eye out f' anythin'... out o' de ordinary?" he asked, hoping that he wouldn't have to worry about this.

"Sure." She smiled. "It's a habit that dad says I really shouldn't press."

Remy's smile became brighter. "Y' poppa's a smart man."

"Yea, he hasn't burnt the house down with his cooking yet so, he's pretty smart." She giggled.

That was an odd criterion for intelligence. Remy turned back to the project and started working on it again. He smirked at her though.

Stephanie watched him closely out of the corners of her eyes. The picture of him kissing Alex tumbled like a shoe in the dryer, through her head. "Can I ask you what it was like? The first time...?"

"Uh... y' can ask, but... de first time what, petite?" Remy bent over to get a level view of the lining up of mirrors and wire. He glanced up and blinked at her before turning back to the wire before standing up again to straighten one piece out.

"The first time you....." Mumbling the last of her sentence, she kept herself open to try not to offend him with her pryings. "kissed him....?"

A slow smile spread over Remy's face. "Was a little awkward... 'cause I wasn' sure dat he... liked me back. It was... thrillin'. Felt like I could fly." He blushed and looked at the project. Her father was going to kill him for talking to her about this.

"Was he your first?"

"Non." Remy said, remembering he was quite young when he started figuring out who he was attracted to.

"Oh." She busied herself with writing configurations but tended to shake a bit and dropped the pencil onto the floor. "So, how old were you when you.... um... did it?"

Lifting an eyebrow at her, Remy asked, "Which 'it' we talkin' here, petite?"

He could be a bit embarrassing himself.

Biting her lip in her nervous habit, she had a feeling she was getting too personal with her wonderings. "Err, The 'it'. I mean, how do you know when to do it?"

"We still talkin' 'bout kissin'?" Remy asked with a smirk. He wondered if she even knew about the bases.

Logan was going to be upset at her outspokenness but what patterns she was getting from Remy, didn't let her think about the consequences of what she was asking. She hoped he was still in the backyard, mowing. "Uh... yes?"

"Well... kissin'... is kind of a risk y' gotta take sometime when y' like somebody. Y' do it when y' wanna tell somebody dat y' like dem... but de mood has t' be right, y'know?" He smiled. "Y' look at each oder a lot... an' den y' lean in... an' if dey're still lookin' at y'... y' can kiss 'em. Simple as dat... but real complicated in practice." Remy paused to look at her as she listened and watched him closely. "More dan dat an' I think y' gon' have t' wait 'til yer older t' hear about." He didn't want to be contributing too much to the delinquency of a minor.

"That's it?"

"Like I said, more complicated in practice," He smirked. "Y' do a lot of it by feel, trial an' error." He shrugged, using terminology she would understand.

"What if you like them but they don't like you?"

"Dat... happens a lot..." Remy said with a grimace. "If dat's de case... when you lean in t' get a kiss... dey'll lean away," He assured.

Stephanie thought, taking in what he had said. "What do you think would happen if you kissed my dad?"

"Think I might get socked." He said with an expression that was trying to be a smile, but was weighed down by the heaviness of it. It turned into more of a grimace.

"You don't think my dad likes you?"

"Petite, I think y' dad likes me as a friend... I got no reason t' think he wants t'... kiss me." He said looking at the floor. He wasn't even going to mention that he didn't think the man wanted to take him to bed. God, that would get him into trouble. "I got no reason to suspect dat he'd like me... like dat. He had you, oui? Y' poppa probably likes women, petite." He explained.

Stephanie shied away, staring at the pencil that was still on the floor. "I don't think he's had a date since mom died." Rolling the pencil under her shoe, she clarified. "I haven't seen him with anyone and he hardly talks on the phone, unless it's work. When you were in the hospital, he slept on the sofa, if he did sleep, and was constantly thinking about how you were doing."

"Petite... would y'... feel comfortable... if y' poppa an' I... started datin'...?" He asked carefully.

Looking at him plainly and then twisting her expression into confusion, her mind leaped forward and she found herself picturing the answer. She raised an eyebrow. "I-I-I don't know." She swallowed. "I guess. Perhaps. Would you?"

"... F' me de answer would depend on you. If you... an' y' broder were okay wid it... I'd consider m'self real lucky t' be able t' date y' poppa...."

"I'm convinced Matthew is from aliens but dad says he's my actual brother so, I have no idea what goes on in his head. I don't think I want to know." A thought struck her as she bent down to finally pick up the pencil she had been toying with on the floor. "What would it be like?"

"Me datin' y' poppa... or findin' out what goes on in y' broder's head?" He smirked. Considering it a rhetorical question, he continued, "I think y'd jus'... see more of me..." He didn't know whether he would kiss Logan in front of his kids though...

Stephanie smirked a bit. "Would we have to move?"

"Move?" Remy asked confused. "I live across de street, petite. I don' see no reason t' move." He got the feeling she was pulling his chain.

"Right, but instead of going back and forth..... Wouldn't it be easier to just move. Because I like my room." She smiled and hoped he got the joke as she was trying to lighten the conversation up.

Remy smiled at her. "If it got dat serious... we'll see, petite. We ain' even talked to y' poppa an' y' talkin' 'bout matrimony! Good lord, girl!" He teased.

A knock at the door before Logan opened it and peered in to see what they were doing. "Dinner's ready, you two. You can talk shop tomorrow, c'mon." He paused to catch Remy's eyes as he stood up from placing a coiled wire around the bottom of the lightbulb. "Even have a place for you, Rem, if yer hungry?"

"Ah, merci." Remy smiled and nodded.

***********

"Can I help wid de dishes?" Remy asked looking at Logan from his seat at the table.

Logan picked up a towel, after thinking for a moment, and tossed it onto the piece of counter separating them. "If ya don't mind dryin."

Remy rose and grabbed his own dish to bring to the sink. "Not a bit." He smiled and set the dirty dish with the others. He thought about how he was going to broach the subject and figure out... how Logan felt about him. They did after all, hardly know each other... yet he couldn't help feeling a strong attraction to the older man. "It's de least I can do... y' family's been takin' care o' me an'... I..." he didn't know what to say. "Thanks." He shrugged.

Bringing a plate up, out of the soapy water and shaking the excess off, Logan handed the plate to him and grabbed another. "Not a problem, kid." He scrubbed the plate with a sponge while feeling Remy's eyes on him. "Did you two have a good chat?"

"Uh... oui. We got a lot done on de project, but... I think we could use anoder evenin' t' work on it." Remy was a little shocked that he called him 'kid'. He supposed that he was more likely to view him as a surrogate son than a potential lover. That was one thing he hadn't considered when Stephanie was talking about how distraught Logan was when Remy was in the hospital.

"Just one? Heh, she's very thorough so don't be surprised if she asks for more." Logan turned as he handed him the next plate, and looked at Remy's expression. "Steph isn't the kind to warm up to anyone just like that." 

"I guess I... got my work cut out for me, non?" He smiled awkwardly.

Logan smiled. "Guess ya do." Turning back to the sink, he had caught the catch in Remy's voice as he met his eyes. "Maybe she'll grow up to be the next millionaire to own a corporation."

"I hope she does, Logan... but wid a mind like hers, y'know she's gonna wanna be in a lab changin' de world." He smiled.

Logan recalled what he had desuaded her from after Jean died, and froze a shutter as he pictured her becoming too intense in trying to cure the common cold. "Yea..."

"She's a real good kid." Remy smirked. "Observant, too."

Logan chuckled. "Almost too observant."

"Eh... oui. I think she... sees things dat jus' ain' dere sometimes." He said sadly, remembering her observation about Logan's worry and how she interpreted it.

Stopping what he was doing, Logan turned and glanced back at Remy. "What do you mean?" A questionable frown on his face but keeping his mind open to the answer.

Remy shook his head. "Oh, nothin', mon ami. Jus'... she said somethin' dat... I think she misinterpreted some things is all." He shrugged.

Logan sighed inwardly and didn't press the issue. Instead, he turned back to the dishes and started cleaning a few silverware he had snagged. When he turned to hand them to Remy, he saw a faint sign of an indescribable silence.

"Logan... I... I don' mean t' sound ungrateful... but... I'm curious... Why'd y' do so much f' me...?" He asked quietly.

Forgetting about the dishes, Logan leaned against he counter on his left elbow, and thought deeply about what he had done for Remy, exactly. "I know what it's like to feel helpless with a child. Yer dad asked me to check on ya, and I did. When I saw you lyin there, I thought somethin happened to ya, and I couldn't imagine how to begin to tell yer dad you were gone. I tend to have restless times when I can't do anything else but kick myself for not doin somethin so, I try to at least make sure those I care about can get around without me."

Remy smiled a small breath escaping him. He tried to hide his disappointment. It was stupid of him to get his hopes up and also stupid to have talked to Stephanie like he was planning on making moves on her old man. Logan had been doing this for his father... not for him. The realization didn't take any of the kindness out of it... it just took the... hope from Remy's heart. "Well, thanks, Logan... I appreciate y' lookin' out for me."

"Whoa... wait a minute. Yer dad wasn't the only factor that I did what I did. I guess you could say you're the only neighbour I've had over for dinner in a long time. Not to mention it'd be a let down if my kids got ahold of the news before I did." Keeping a picture of Remy in the elevator, after a chat with his father, fresh in his mind, was reason alone to worry about him.

Remy's expression brightened a little. "I'm glad y' invited me over... Made me feel at home." He said wistfully. He hadn't felt much at home any of the other places he lived. Remy kicked himself for expecting a romantic relationship to develop out of this at all, to say nothing of in a few visit's time. He was just being foolish. His smile faded as he thought about his crush on Logan and how it was just going to linger.

When they finished the dishes, Logan let the water run out and grabbed a towel to dry his hands. "Smoke?"

"Definitely." Remy smiled and followed Logan outside.

They stood on the porch in the dark as Logan hadn't turned on the porchlight. Lighting his cigar, Logan held the lighter up for Remy to light his smoke on. Removing the cigar from his lips, he released the gray puff and stared at Remy's front door. "Everythin all right, kid?"

"I s'pose... Life's gettin' a little bit more interestin', but hey-- who don' wan' dat, right?" He smiled half-heartedly. He didn't know what he was going to do about Alex, but he needed to let whatever it was run its course.

Taking another puff, Logan kicked a small rock off of the top step and looked down to see it land in the grass, past the walkway. "Look, this ain't none o' my business but, I don't have ears to listen to crickets. If you wanna talk, talk away, and it won't leave this porch."

"Thanks, Logan... Guess I'm jus' woried 'bout somethin' Stephanie said she saw... she saw Alex pokin' through m' car... but don' recall askin' him t' get anythin' out of it for me...." He frowned pulling a drag out of his cigarette.

Logan debated telling him what he knew of that happening but hadn't wanted to spook Remy. "Perhaps, he was lookin fer somethin he thought he lost? You might have picked up? How well do ya know him?"

"Known him for a while. Not like I know him like de back o' my hand or nothin'... but we... we been havin' fights an'... it jus' feels like... it ain' gon' last much longer. I seen the signs before, I jus'... guess I don' wanna admit... defeat...." Remy shrugged and took another drag from his thin cigarette.

Sighing inwardly and bit his cigar in thought. "Defeat from what?"

"Well... defeat o' de relationship, y'know? I mean... I guess I dunno how serious I thought it'd be... but it jus' ain' workin'." Remy shrugged.

"It takes two and a Hellova pair of shoes to tango." Logan tried to keep the sexuality card in neutral for sake of understanding but had only reminded himself that he wasn't talking to his children.

"I know..." Remy said quietly. "guess dat's why I'm still tryin' t' keep it alive... Feel like a bunch of it is my fault, y'know?"

"Why? That is... I can't pretend to understand your business but, there is such point to mistakes."

"Well, I'm pig-headed," Remy smirked. "Obviously." He waved his cigarette elegantly. 

Logan smirked back, playfully. "So I've noticed."

"Yeah, well... Alex don' 'xactly see it as such a good thing... Part o' me wishes I were more agreeable... but I can' give on de tings he wants me t' give on... y'know?" Remy exhaled a long breath of smoke. 

Logan looked confused. "Like what?"

"I ain' gon' give up my right t' have friends jus' t' stay wid him. He wants my attention completely an'... he got... jealous f' me comin' over de oder day. You an' I jus' met an' he's jumpin' all ov' me tellin' me dat y' tryin' t' steal me away." Remy smirked at Logan. "You wouldn' even be interested."

Logan's eyes opened wide. "I'm tryin to steal you away?" Remy and Alex thought he was gay? Logan was floored. He thought back to what Stephanie had warned him about and then paired it up with what Remy had just said and quietly coughed on the smoke.

Remy looked at Logan a little concerned. It wasn't often that smokers coughed on their deathstick of choice. "Logan..?" He questioned.

"I'm fine. Just uh--...." Logan turned away and covered his mouth to clear his coughs before turning back and looking at the door across the street. "What do you think?"

"Bout what? De probability dat you'd try an' get togeder wid me? Or de next t' no coaxin' it'd take t' get me t' kiss you...?" Remy was actually taking a pretty big risk there... but Logan seemed like a reasonable man... he probably would take the confession of attraction okay.

Logan turned fully to look at him after smudging out the cigar on the closest post that held up the overhang. "Why not just ask me, instead of dodgin glances and skippin around the bush?"

Remy swallowed and looked away from Logan, his breath coming to him shallowly. Glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, his fear was evident. "Cause I'd hate t' loose y' as a friend... an' even dough... I don' tink y' de type t'... shun a man f' expressin' himself... I don' think I could act de same 'round y'... if y' said no...." Remy's heart was beating a mile a minute.

"I'm not that type of man, Remy. I'm not gonna shun you fer bein who you are but, since the fight was about me per se, don't you think it'd be easier to just ask me and get it out in the open than to wonder about it?"

"Kinda... rude t' ask... 'specially when we didn' know each oder so well... I wasn' sure back den dat y' wouldn' be offended...." He dodged it. He dodged it completely. Clenching his fists, he bit down trying to get the words to come out of his mouth that seemed to be glued shut through a will he didn't totally understand.

Logan stepped forward, listening and waiting. He stared at Remy calmly and noted the young man's expression. "To not know eachother that well is one thing. To know someone, even for a little while, and not be able to ask-- can be taken as missed opportunities." Without another word or even preparation, Logan leaned in and kissed him on the lips before backing away and noting the sound of the blue Yamaha on the street.

Remy was shaking-- Logan kissed him! His lips had felt so wonderful, soft and unfamiliar... They seemed right even though he'd never touched them before. The sound of the Yamaha made Remy look for the bike and his mouth opened when he looked back to Logan. "I... I wan' y', Logan..." He said looking into the man's eyes, trying to read him. "Dere's... somethin' I need t' do first... but when I see you tomorrow... can I kiss you again?" He asked, leaning closer to the man, but not touching him.

Logan didn't answer. Instead, he glanced of to the driveway where Alex now stood, looking towards them. "I think yer bein paged, and it's gettin kinda late. G'night, kid." He was unsure of how to answer and thought it best to move along to avoid uncomfortable silences.

Remy had to brace himself for what he was going to do next and he tried not to be put off by Logan's... noncommital attitude. Sighing as he watched Logan go back inside, he turned to Alex and stepped over to him. "Come on inside." He invited casually to Alex as he unlocked the door. Remy led the way into his house, opening his door for Alex.

************

"What's goin on, Remy? Why is it that when I'm over here, you're always on his front porch?" Alex was slightly hurt and a bit standoffish.

"Because he's my friend an' tonight I happen t' be helpin' his little girl wid her science project." He explained as he stepped inside.

Alex remembered the little girl and shivered in thought of what might the project have been about. "So, during the day, you keep this place like a hole in the ground but at night, you trapse over to chat with his kid about school?" He held his helmet in his right hand and closed the door behind him with his left, standing just inside. 

"She's in school durin' de day, Alex." Remy explained, his voice telling him it should be common knowledge. "I was dere f' several hours helpin' her set up her experiment." Remy was quiet for a moment after pacing the living room once. "Mind if I ask you a question now?"

"Go right a head." Aggravation touching his voice but managing it barely, Alex didn't look at him.

"What de fuck were y' doin' rootin' through my car unbidden?"

In amazement, Alex looked to Remy. "I- I- I was lookin for somethin I thought I left on the seat." Oh shit. He thought, knowing he had been caught by the girl but wasn't sure before. "What does it matter what I was looking for? I just thought I lost something."

Taking a deep breath, Remy tried to calm himself. That didn't change anything... it just made it a little less easy to justify. "You should have asked." He said and went to the other side of the room again. Facing away from Alex, Remy said gently, but loud enough he was sure Alex could hear him, "I don' wanna see you again, Alex...."

Seeing Remy upset had always turned him on and he made an attempt not to act on what he was thinking. "Wha-? What do you mean? Look, Remy, why don't we just go to bed, and we can talk in the morning? We've been through this before, and we're still together."

"Alex... y' don' want me even havin' *friends*-- y' made it clear dat y' jus' too paranoid... I don' wanna stress you an' I don' wanna be stressed. You should go an' find someone whose okay wid bein' y' entire life."

Alex crossed the room in a hurry and walked around to face Remy. "No, Remy please...? Look, I just get crazy sometimes 'cause of you're dad tryin to tell you what to do. I know you don't want to be under his thumb, and that Logan guy is just where that is. Please, Remy..." Holding Remy's head and letting his fingers run through his hair, Alex kissed him in an attempt to save any kind of grace.

"Alex... I can' do dis any more... Please... y' know I love you, but... I can' go on under my fader's thumb... any more dan I can go on... under *yours.*" Remy wrapped his arms around Alex in a habit he had developed over the year they had known each other, but he pushed Alex away as soon as he realized that he was pulling Alex closer.

Alex closed his eyes and started to move his hand up under Remy's T-shirt. His skin felt the soft but firm plains of Remy's stomach and then started upward, hoping Remy would change his mind. "I know we can work this out, Remy."

"Alex... I ain' sure I want to..." He said softly.

Kissing him again gently, Alex inhaled and backed up slowly. "Right. Okay. I'll uh- see you later." He wanted to say something to make Remy feel the hurt he felt but only bit his tongue and hurried for the door. "Night, Remy."

"Alex!" Remy turned to look at Alex's retreating back.

Alex stopped in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, Alex..." He said softly stepping over to him. He was a gorgeous man. It would be so easy to say he would try again with him... but he had said that so many times before.... "Will y' let me say goodbye... properly?" He asked and leaned in to kiss him slow and deep.

Closing his eyes and leaning in, Alex moaned and began to feel a bit sloshed as he breathed in the scent of Remy, fisting his shirt. He didn't want to let go and hoped he wouldn’t have to leave when Remy was so close to him in that second. Alex sighed and moaned again, trying to keep the kiss.

Taking that as a yes, Remy dragged Alex further inside and reached down to grab his firm ass through his jeans. He felt the blood make him stiff as he pulled Alex's hips closer to his own.

Opening his eyes, Alex smiled and pressed his hips against Remy's as his hands started to tug upwards at the shirt. "Please, Remy, don't stop."

Remy's hands went to Alex's under his shirt and covered them, caressing the tops for a moment, as if to tell him wordlessly that it was okay... he wasn't going to stop. He kissed Alex again and let his hands relieve Alex's shirt from his jeans. Then his hands found their way into the jeans and he grasped the ass again, this time bare and it made Remy's heart beat faster.

Alex gasped and threw his head back in pleasure. His hands shook as he lifted Remy's shirt to his neck and started kissing as much of Remy's chest as possible. Taking a moment to catch a breath, he moved to unbutton Remy's jeans while kissing his collarbone.

"Alex..." He stopped him and smiled at the pouty face he caught Alex with. Pulling off his shirt, he tugged Alex toward the stairs and led him up them to Remy's room. Once they were inside, he pulled Alex into another kiss and started undoing Alex's jeans so he could get him out of them and feel that beautiful ass again.

While Remy was working at his jeans, he was working the zip on Remy's. The thought hadn't crossed his mind that it was only for a night and in the morning, it would be a different road. He was only thinking about how good Remy felt inside him and with him. He had come so far and craved the touch Remy always had with him.

Remy let his hands slide along Alex's hips as he pushed the jeans and boxers off his body, leaving him exposed. Oh, he looked good. Working up his chest in a caress, he carried the shirt away and then kissed along his neck, his tongue leaving wet trails of passion on his skin. Remy's hands roved over Alex's back and back down to his ass-- he loved that ass and couldn't get enough of it. He didn't want to think about how things in his life were going to change in the morning; he would deal with them when they came about.

Alex took a brief second to revel in the kisses and sensations he was feeling. He noticed that he was nude but his hands shook at the try of undressing his living Adonis. Reaching his right hand inside Remy's pants (unders), Alex felt the hardness and rubbed his palm against it to hear the wonderful chorus of gasps Remy gave his ears. Getting braver, Alex slowly lowered the trousers and then the pants to get more touch to Remy.

Remy found his hips completely out of his control as he bucked into the hand that pleasured him and he smiled as Alex removed his pants. Stepping out of them, he guided Alex over to the bed and pressed him back onto it, kissing him and insinuating a leg inbetween Alex's. His hands caressed Alex's chest and he played with his nipples as he sipped kisses from his sexy lips.

Alex cooed softly and let his eyes slide closed as his legs spread slowly wider to accommodate his lover. He wanted this night to last and tried to place clips of every minute in his mind. Feeling Remy roam over his body, he purred into his ear. "Please Remy... I need you so much. Now."

"Soon..." Remy purred into his ear and then leaned away from him to kiss down his body. Alex had a wonderful piece of meat between his legs and Remy stopped to lap at his sensitive spots long enough to get him moaning loudly before he moved on and coaxed Alex's legs wider and delved his tongue into the crevice hiding the entrance to his body. Spreading him wider, his tongue pushed farther in and he was able to lick all around Alex's puckered opening, tasting his sweat before pushing his tongue against the muscle there, pressing in as far as he could.

Alex gasped and arched his back, panting heavily as he watched Remy through heavy lids and felt he was going mad.

Remy smiled at the reaction Alex gave him and kissed at his hole before leaning away to grab the lube from his nightstand. Putting a bit of the liquid on his fingertips, Remy grabbed one of Alex's hands and poured the fluid into it, then guided it to his cock so Alex could prepare him. His own slick fingers found their way to Alex's anus and he pressed gently in at first with one finger, then with another, watching his lover's face for any signs of discomfort.

Alex rubbed the gel over the hardened length and groaned at the stretching that quickly turned to moans of pleasure. "Pleasepleaseplease."

Remy could feel Alex's muscles contract around his fingers and that made Remy just want inside him more. His cock was dripping a bit of its own lubricant that mixed with the stuff Alex applied and he leaned down to kiss Alex again. Pulling gently away from his hand, Remy positioned himself between Alex's legs and leaned over his gorgeous chest to swirl his tongue around his nipple, then scrape it with teeth. He listened closely to the sounds Alex made, using them as a key to guide what he did to his lover next. Remy twisted his lubed fingers inside Alex and pressed them deeper, scissoring them inside him to loosen him.

Reaching down to blindly pull at Remy's hand that was inside him, he whimpered and looked into Remy's eyes as they caught each other.

Remy smirked at Alex's whimper. Feeling he probably had been tortured enough, Remy let the tip of his rod press against Alex's hole and he glided it up and down the crack, teasing him with its presence. He could feel his muscles work, begging him for the piece of flesh that Remy wanted to give him. Slipping inside him was eased by the lube, but it was always tight going into Alex. Tonight Alex practically swallowed him up and Remy gasped at the clench around his manhood, maintaining eye contact with Alex as he entered him.

"Sorry." Alex whispered as he saw the pain on Remy's face and tried to relax as much as he could to lessen the restraint. He smiled as sweat glistened on his forehead. His hands moved to Remy's hips and then to his ass as he needed him deeper.

Remy's eyes fluttered closed in extacy and he whispered, "Don' be sorry, cher..." He braced himself with his arms over Alex and thrust into his willing lover, encouraged by the hands at his ass. Lowering himself closer to Alex, he let their bodies slide over each other, the smooth skin feeling delicious especially where it rubbed Remy's nipples. "Dieu... Alex... y' feel so good." He whispered into his ear as he slid inside him. It wasn't long before he couldn't control his movements any longer and he began thrashing in pleasure over the gorgeous body that lay open to him.

"Yes... Oh Remy... God, yes. I love... the way... you feel..." Alex panted and wrenched his eyes shut. "Ah! Ohh.. God, Remy." His fingers pressed into Remy's flesh as it moved atop him and he moaned a steady hum that bumped with every pound Remy thrust into him. Oh it felt so good to have Remy this close and to hear him say his name while they made love, on Remy's bed.

Remy panted over Alex and he gripped his shoulders to pull himself deeper inside him. The feeling of Alex's cock in between them, rubbing against his skin made him hot and he let his fingers caress him so they could lubricate him and keep him feeling good. Remy loved the way Alex was panting in turn and he wanted to give him everything in that moment. "Come f' me, Alex." He breathed hotly in his ear and thrust hard and fast into him, aiming for the spot he knew drove him crazy every time.

"Want me to..." Alex kept his eyes closed and wasn't able to raise his voice above a hoarse whisper into Remy's ear. "MM..." biting his lower lip and then Remy's shoulder, tasting the salty taste of sweat and Zest soap mixed with the wonderful taste of Remy's skin. "Want... you.... to.... mmm.... auhhh..." Saying Remy's name in just as sultry a voice as he could talk, he sprit a little and moaned before letting go of everything completely. "I love you, Remy."

Alex biting his shoulder made his excitement rise to levels just below bursting. The sudden tightness of the sheathe he had buried himself in made every part of Remy's body sing just before it exploded into a cacophony of pleasure and Remy made out the whisper of love before gasping himself and clutching Alex to him. Spilling his seed deep inside Alex's body was always such a wonderful, beautiful thing and he caressed Alex's hair as he started to come down from the intensity of pleasure. Panting still, he opened his eyes and looked at Alex... and saw the love that was on his face. Collapsing over Alex, Remy supported himself what he could on his elbows, but just lay over him, letting his love make them sticky and messy. His thoughts started to drift... and he thought about Logan on the porch earlier that evening and he wondered what it would be like to be in a relationship with him... But when he looked back at Alex... he wasn't sure he could do this... He would sleep on it and he would feel better about letting Alex go in the morning.

Watching Remy and raising a hand to the soft glitter of auburn hair, Alex smiled and closed his eyes as he stifled a yawn. He felt so comfortable where he was, with Remy near. He noted silently that Remy had made next to none acknowledgement about Alex's last cry of passion, he let it slide as he glanced over at Remy's dozing face. It was so serene and calming that he couldn't bare to see the sunrise, let alone deal with the after effects while crying on someone else's shoulder. Yawning again, he sighed and closed his eyes to sleep.

Remy hugged Alex close and tucked them under the covers after slipping from the warmth of his body. Remy was starting to dread the morning.

Continued....


	7. Chapter 7

Taking a deep breath, Remy woke and closed his eyes tighter at the sun that was peeking through his drapes. He hugged the body he was holding closer and hid behind it so the sun wouldn't get in his eyes.

Alex moaned softly at the arm around him and moved slightly on the pillow. He scooted backward into the warmth of Remy's body and yawned as he closed his eyes tighter; it was dawn. Something was supposed to happen today but he pushed it out of his mind as he lie there in comfort.

Remy breathed into Alex's hair and nuzzled into his neck. When he started to remember the evening before he frowned at the idea of having to let Alex go... but he knew it was what he needed. He couldn't have Alex monopolizing him. He wasn't that kind of person.

Alex sighed and shifted as he rolled over to face Remy. Opening his eyes, he gazed at the serene face as Remy was still sleeping. He carefully placed a hand on Remy's soft hip and lightly traced the curve from hipbone up to the ridges of ribs that poked out under skin.

Eyes still closed Remy wondered how he was going to ask him to go after that night of passion.... He questioned getting up and making something for him, but decided that it would be better to not leave just yet. Maybe Remy should pretend to be asleep so Alex could just slip away. He doubted that was going to happen as he felt Alex move in his arms and start caressing his skin. He wondered if Alex would ask him for more that morning. Remy didn't think he'd be able to give it to Alex if he asked.

Faint waves of warm breath caressed his face and Alex guided himself closer to his sleeping lover. His eyes stared at him and watched for any signs of Remy waking up to look at him. Thinking it was better not to have to hear the words from Remy telling him to leave, Alex snuggled lightly and kissed the soft, sweet lips before slipping backward off the far side of the bed. Gathering his clothes from the floor, he closed the bedroom door quietly behind him as he left the room and headed downstairs to dress before leaving.

Remy sighed in relief after the door had closed and Alex was gone. He was glad it was over and... was relatively painless. It could have been much worse... in fact he expected it to be. He expected there to be fighting and throwing of things... It gave him a pang of regret that Alex didn't do that... because it meant he was showing improvement.... Swallowing, Remy tried to reassure himself that this was best but he still felt the knot in his throat.

*********

Remy knocked on Logan's door again and was hoping to get Logan alone for a minute before he started work with Stephanie, but he didn't know how likely that was.

Matthew had just started heading upstairs when he turned around at the knock and walked over to the window to see who it was before answering. He brightened when he saw a familiar figure standing there and hurried to open the door, one hand full of a bowl of grapes. "Hey Remy, ya wanna come play my new game?" He smiled as he looked up at the man who looked slightly distressed. 

Remy tried to force on a smile for the boy. "I might be able to later, oui, homme? I should help Stephanie wid her homework first." He looked around for Logan from the entryway.

"Okay, cool." He smiled and raised an eyebrow at the man. "Dad's in the office, if ya wanna talk to him... around the corner" Pointing behind and to the right, he stepped aside for Remy to step in and then yelled for Logan. "Dad! Door."

Logan took a minute to come to the hallway and see who wanted him. He nodded curiously at Remy.

Stepping inside, Remy watched for Logan and stepped toward Logan once he saw him. He didn't... know what to say really. "Uh... how y' doin', Logan?" He asked, feeling a little nervous because of the previous night.

"Doin alright. What's up?" Logan was a bit confused as to why Remy wanted to talk to him. "Matt, don't eat too many of those, supper'll be ready soon. C'mon in," he said nodding to the office door so they could talk in private.

Remy swallowed and when the door was closed behind them, he looked at Logan with uncertainty. "I... I broke it off... wid Alex..." 

"Okay." Logan stood there and folded his arms, uncertain as to why Remy was sharing this information with him. "What's the matter?"

"Part o' me is..." Remy was getting nervous. Logan was acting like the night before hadn't even *happened.* "I just... thought y' should know." He said, feeling his connection with Logan slipping away and his stomach objected hard to the thought. Had their kiss last night-- brief though it was, meant nothing?

Logan sighed and leaned against the door. "Look kid, last night wasn't somethin to jump to anythin drastic. If he did somethin wrong, then there's room for reasonable doubt." He watched Remy's reaction, careful not to upset him even more than he appeared to be. "Here, have a seat. What happened to suddenly make you do this?"

"It wasn't sudden, Logan... we've broken up several times before... but we always... got back togeder a few days later. I jus'... didn' wanna do it any more." Remy sighed and sat down, thinking he was a fool for wanting Logan at all. He made a point to remind himself that he didn't want to push Logan for anything. The man was certainly not looking to be a rebound. Hell, the man was probably not looking to be anything of Remy's and Remy had to brace himself against the pang in his heart at that thought. He had said that it wasn't something to jump to anything drastic... and he figured that meant he was shot down before Logan even knew he was flying.

Logan came to kneel in front of Remy and place a hand on his shoulder. "Look, Rem,..." He sighed before continuing. "What happened last night on the porch was somethin I think you needed to have out in the open. I ain't gonna judge you for the choices you've made but I ain't gonna stand by and see you make yerself suffer. Don't think yer health can withstand that. Don't ya think?" He met Remy's eyes and only caught flickers of the true feelings that danced behind the poker face.

"I'm *fine*, Logan," Remy said sternly. "An' what happened on de porch... was between de two of us. I made my choice an' I think it's de right thing f' me to have done. Sides, if y' so worried 'bout my health, seein' Alex ain' gon' be good for me." He said. "Was him dat sent me to de hospital..." He admitted quietly.

"Whadaya mean?"

"Alex... punched me in de chest... when we were fightin'.... Dis wouldn' be such a problem f' most people... but it set off... a condition o' mine... an' y' know de rest."

The shock seemed to send off a small sigh of annoyance that was directed at the blond young man but there wasn't anything he could do about it now. "So now what?" Logan sat back and eyed Remy thoughtfully.

"Wha' d' y' mean, now what? I ain' gon' see him any more an' dat's dat. S'pose I should go find Stephanie an' help her wid her project," he said and rose from his chair. Remy was avoiding Logan's gaze. He wasn't going to stick his neck out again. Not with the possibility of Logan feeling like Remy was just playing with him or he was an 'after-breakup' relationship.

"Wait, stop." Logan stood up and turned to stare at Remy's back. "I meant, where do you go from here? Why tell me when I hardly knew the kid?"

"I wasn' tellin' y' 'cause it impacted Alex... I was tellin' y' 'cause it impacts me... an'... y' my friend, Logan..." At least... he thought they were friends. He thought the man would care. He trembled with the idea that he didn't.

Logan stiffened. "I am yer friend, kid. But, I can't tell you what to do or how to help without knowin what's what. I ain't yer dad so, I don't know yer little quirks."

"I... Logan," he smiled at the man. "I wasn' askin' f' advice or anythin'... I jus'... wanted t' tell y'. I thought dat..." he snorted at himself and looked at the ceiling. "I dunno what I thought," he said and shook his head. "I didn' mean nothin'..."

"Apparently it means somethin to have this long of a cord on yer tongue that you can't....." He took a breath and thought for a moment. "Give it time before you jump into anythin. Clear yer head a bit."

"You mean wid you?" Remy asked, turning to Logan and looking into his eyes pointedly.

Logan felt a bit shocked at the question but didn't advertise the expression. "I mean with whatever your new admiration is."

The corner of Remy's mouth pulled up just a bit and he nodded. "Promise-- I won' get carried away." How could he when his new 'admiration' wasn't even acknowledging that they had kissed the evening before?

"Good deal." Patting Remy's shoulder, he looked at the door. "Think Steph is lookin for ya, why don't ya go on and talk shop....?"

"Will do." Remy said and tried to smile for Logan.

**********

Stepping through the door to his place, Remy sighed deeply. Things hadn't gone as he had hoped with Logan, but that was hardly a surprise with his luck. He stalked through the living room on his way upstairs.

From the counter came a chime of a cell phone. The same cell phone Alex always had with him. It chimed a third time as it waited for Remy to answer it. A sleek black flip phone with an instrumental television theme that seemed, on most days, to annoy Remy.

Remy stopped when he heard the phone and looked at it with a perplexed frown as he turned around and came down the stairs to find it on the counter. He let it ring once more before picking it up. It might actually be Alex realizing that his phone was lost. "Hello?" he answered, afraid that it would be Alex having left it there so he could have an excuse to come and see Remy again. He wasn't sure he would be strong enough to not let him in and make love to him again with how rejected he felt by Logan.

"Remy?" Alex's voice shook uncontrollably. He tried to hide it but felt the silence and deafness in his ears was more sickening than the nervousness. "Um, I have a problem..."

"Y' lef' y' cell phone on my counter; ain' dat much of a problem." He said casually, trying not to fall into the trap of feeling sorry for Alex because he was so broken up about having to leave.

"Yea- no. That's not my problem, Remy. I mean- um- I need help." Alex eyed the tall man who held the phone and sneered at him. "You see, I uh- never made it to my apartment." His hands shook in the restraints behind him and he hoped Remy would take pity on him and listen before he hung up.

Sighing, Remy tried to be patient. "What happened? Y' spill y' bike? Y' okay?" he asked.

Alex had started to say something but the phone was snatched from him and he was gagged by a second man who stood behind him. "You have two days to hand over LeBeau Industries and walk away, unless you'd rather see such a pretty young man be ripped apart by sharks." A scrungy, whispery voice spoke into the phone before laughing and adding. "We'll be in touch."

"Wait--!" Remy cried into the phone hoping they wouldn't hang up. He wasn't in charge of LeBeau Industries!!

"Two days, Mister LeBeau. I won't ask twice."

Remy was dumbfounded and he held the phone away from him numbly, willing this to be a joke... but there was no way. Alex wouldn't do this, no matter how angry he was. He hurried to his land line and called his father-- he was the only person who could possibly help him with this... ridiculous request. Remy was pacing nervously to keep from shaking as he listened to the ringing of his father's phone.

"Hello?" Jean-Luc had been rummaging through papers of a project he had been working on for another company and nonchalantly picked up the phone without bothering to look at the name on the I.D.

"Poppa..." Remy said nervously. "I got a call from someone jus' now..." He swallowed. "Dey're holdin' Alex... f' ransom."

Jean-Luc stopped looking and sat down from his bent over position and sat back to focus on his son's voice. "Remy-? Remy, I don' have time to play games. I have to get dis presentation together, not get involved wit' you and dat boy." He was becoming a little agitated from what he was doing and was trying to write Remy off for an afterwards situation. "Didn' I tell you dat boy was no good-?"

"Poppa, it ain' him-- dis ain' no petty criminal tryin' t' clean up, dey wan' LeBeau Industries, poppa. Dat ain' nothin' to nobody but a few people." Remy growled. "I'm not joking!"

Jean-Luc's brow furrowed as he tried to put together the thought of Alex for LeBeau Industries. Jean-Luc sighed and closed his eyes. "Remy, I'm not handing my company over for dat boy. Dey didn't say anythin else?"

"Dey said dey'd be in contact-- I don' know anythin' right now..."

"Stay there. Don' open the door for anyone til I get there." Jean-Luc stood up and reached a hand into his pants pocket for his car keys. He hung up and hurried down to the garage, telling his secretary that he'd be back tomorrow and to cancel his appointments for the rest of the evening.

Hanging up, Remy didn't know what to do. He called Logan though, knowing that he needed to know. He couldn't do anything, but having him keep his kids from getting involved in anything would be improtant.

Jean-Luc rushed over to Remy's house, a million thoughts churning through his head about what happened. Thank goodness it wasn't Remy dat was kidnapped. Why did dey want my company? And, why go t'rough Remy....? Pulling into the drive, he shut the engine off and rushed to the door, knocking and announcing to Remy who he was. "Remy, s' poppa."

Rushing to the door, Remy opened it and ushered his father inside. "Poppa." He breathed relieved and gripped his arm as the man came in. He needed comfort, but he was not going to find it with this man, so he backed away and went to get the phone they had used.

"Calm down, Remy." Jean-Luc watched his son move in a very unstable state. "Did they call back?"

"Non." He said quietly, bit his voice was tight.

"Do you t'ink Alex is involved in this somehow?" He asked as he followed Remy to the counter and sat down on a stool. "Remy, how well do you know this boy?"

"Poppa, I've known him f' a year! He couldn' be involved-- he was terrified ov' de phone." He growled.

"Okay. Don' use dat tone with me. Why do you t'ink they wan' my company for him?" Jean-Luc stared at the phone in Remy's hand. "Did you see them take him? Was he here? How much time do we have?"

"I don't know anythin' yet! An' ain' it obvious? Dey wanted t' get t' you through me, but dey couldn' get me, so dey took Alex instead, hopin' I'd ask f' y' help-- sorry t' disappoint y', poppa, but I'm askin' f' y' help. I ain' gon' leave him f' dose vultures!" He added as an afterthought, “We got two days."  
Jean-Luc sighed and calmly took out his small, silver cell phone from his jacket pocket and started dialing the police. "Have you called de police yet?" His finger lingered over the 'send' button as he waited for Remy to answer. Cocking an eyebrow, he studied Remy state of mild distress.

"Non... non, I didn'...." He swallowed. He didn't know if that was such a good idea though.

"I'm callin the police before this gets too far out of hand." Turning back to focus on the phone and listen to it ring, he reached over to pat Remy's arm and tell him it would be all right. "Get y' poppa a drink, please."

"Wha'd' y' wan'?" he asked numbly before heading to the kitchen to fix him whatever he had. He usually kept what his father liked in the house.

Pinching the bridge of his nose to ease the pain in his head, he said quietly. "Scotch."

Remy nodded and went to fix it neat like his father liked it. He brought it back to him in a tumbler.

As the operator picked up and spoke to him, the cell phone rang, on the counter. Snapping his phone shut, he watched with wide eyes and listened to the music.

Remy picked up the phone and opened it as he handed the drink to his father. "Oui." He said professionally cold.

Jean-Luc accepted the drink and stared at Remy, a little surprised that he could switch moods on a dime. He wished he could hear what they were saying to his son.

Remy listened carefully.

"Remy, they want you and yer dad to sign over the company to them, along with 30,000$ and no police, or I'm fish bait. They say you have until 5 o' clock Tuesday to bring it to the Sundance Auditorium. Just you and your dad. If they see anyone else, I'm dead. Please Remy, don't screw up."

"Are you okay, Alex?" he asked urgently.

Alex was a little calmer now that he heard Remy's firm voice on the other end. "Yes but--" The phone was taken away and hung up as he tried to yell to Remy where he was.

"Damnit!" Remy hissed and flipped the phone closed. "Dey wan' you an' me t' sign ov' de compny wid $30,000 an' dey don' wan' de police involved. We gotta bring it t' de science fair jus' de two of us.... Oderwise...." He couldn't say it.

"Is de boy alright?"

"Oui... so far." He confirmed.

Jean-Luc sipped his drink and thought. He could see the tension in Remy's face no matter how he tried to hide it. Setting his drink down, he waved Remy over to sit on the stool next to him and placed the glass in front of him. "It's gonna be all right, Remy."

Remy raised his eyebrows and looked at his father. He didn't think he had ever been offered comfort like that from his father. He nodded, swallowing.

Rubbing Remy's back, he tried to console his son as best he could, or at least as much as Remy would let him. "Why not, go up an' take a shower an' den rest. All this stress ain't good for your heart, mon fils. I don' think dey'll be callin again."

Remy's teeth ground together, but he nodded. "Guest room's upstairs on de right. S' all fixed up." He said as he ascended the stairs. He wanted some time alone to digest all this.

He listened for the water in the shower to start before he made some calls to his business partners and round-a-boutly asked them for guidance. As Jean-Luc talked, he wandered around the living room and studied the few pictures of Remy and Alex together, on the mantle of the fireplace. He was just about to hang up with the last partner when he peeked out the window to the house across the street, with the man standing on the porch staring at him.

***********

Remy had hardly been able to sleep with all of the self recrimination he had been doing ever since he got into the shower. He had paced quietly in his room, running his hands through his hair for the whole night with his bedside lamp on. Guilt was practically suffocating him and he felt awful for even being attracted to his neighbor, to say nothing of the cheating sentiments he had and the way he had just... tossed Alex aside like that. When Remy couldn't walk any more, dizzy from his pacing and fatigue at four am, he collapsed onto his bed and slept in fits and starts until he couldn't any longer because of the sun creeping into the room. Groggily, he headed downstairs to see if Jean-Luc was still there and if he could do something mundane for him like get breakfast ready to keep his mind off of Alex.

Jean-Luc sat at the counter with the morning paper he had snagged from the driveway, and a cup of steaming coffee. "Mornin, Remy. Come, have a seat an' I get you some coffee, non?" Putting the paper down and standing up, Jean-Luc hadn't seen the way his son looked as he rounded the corner into the kitchen. "Come. Dere's de paper. Do you-- Remy, you look like Hell. Didn't you sleep at all, mon fils?" He asked as he had turned around from the coffeepot with a fresh cup for his son.

"No' much.... little." He said, a frown deeply set in his face. He was annoyed that his father was being so... caring. It confused him. Why didn't he act this way normally? Was he just pretending to care now? The thought struck him pretty hard.

Jean-Luc placed the cup in front of where he had been sitting and took up standing on the other side of the counter. "Drink up." He smiled as best he could. "Remy, dere isn't much you can do about Alex, right now."

Remy glared at his father through his russet bangs and growled, "I *know* dat." That was why he couldn't sleep last night. Feelings of guilt were periodically interspersed with thoughts of how Alex was being treated which made him worry and then he would round the cycle back to a stronger guilt that seemed to spiral out of control.

"Chile, don' beat yourself up over dis. What would happen if dey grabbed you?" Jean-Luc was trying and seemingly failing to keep Remy's anger at bay. "I'm sure de boy is fine, an' dis will all be over with soon." Cupping Remy's pale left cheek and trying to calm his son, his cell phone rang in his pants pocket. "Yes?" He answered and listened to the other end speak before telling them to cancel all meetings for the next few days.

Remy was going to chide his father for his attitude regarding this whole mess, but instead, he listened with wary eyes to his father's half of the conversation over the phone. When it was just his secretary, he relaxed. At least he was taking the time to pay attention to what was going on. "So, what *are* y' doin' today, poppa?" He asked, his jaw clenching. He wanted to know what his plan was.

Jean-Luc straightened from leaning on the counter and inhaled. "I have to meet with the board on this subject and somehow find a way to raise the money day asked for. Den, I'm going to make sure you don' overexert yourself an' cause another of your episodes." Taking a last sip of his mostly cool coffee, he added. "I think you'd better stay in doors and get some sleep, mon cher, ain't good for your heart dealin wit' dis stress." Taking the cup over to the sink and rinsing it out, Jean-Luc waited for the retort that Remy always had when Jean-Luc brought up his condition and stress.

"Will you quit worryin' on m' heart!!?? It's *fine!* De only ting dat's doin' me harm is you actin' like I'm a chile! You can have de money from my savin's-- I don' *care* if it gets Alex back safe!" Calming a little, Remy put his head in his hands. "I jus'... poppa, what are y' gon' do 'bout de company? It's what dey wanted most...."

Listening but not returning what he was thinking to Remy's outburst, Jean-Luc thought and closed his eyes as he stated what was going to be inevitable. "Dey aren't getting the company, Remy. I didn't work so hard for so long to trade it in for some boy my son thinks he's in love with. I will do whatever I can to make sure dat boy gets returned safely, but dey won't get anyt'ing for him." Turning, he stared at Remy and hoped he said the right thing to help Remy understand.

Remy's fists clenched before he stood, knocking his stool over and he kicked it across the room. "You'd let an innocent person *die* t' save y' *money!?*" Fuming, he couldn't stand the sight of his father and he fled the house in the jeans he had pulled on to come downstairs and rushed through the chilled air to Logan's. Pounding on the door, he hoped that Logan was there; he was his only refuge from that insane man in his house.

Just waking up and sitting down in his grey sweatpants for a cup of coffee, Logan was jostled from silence to stand up and walk to the door. Sniffing as he reached the door, he sensed something wrong. He opened the door and took in the sight of a distraught Remy. "Hey kid, you alright?"

Remy shook his head and he wanted to hug Logan, but his father could be watching for all he knew, so he wasn't going to jeopardize his job. "Can I hide out here?" he asked softly.

"Sure." Logan looked confused and stood back for Remy to enter before he closed the door. "You mind tellin me just what yer hidin from?"

"M' poppa," Remy said and stepped into the living room, unsure about what to do. He looked around and hoped that he wasn't going to disturb things through their morning.

Logan nodded but didn't say anything. "Some coffee?" He yawned and took a few steps towards the kitchen. "Kids have school, if you don't mind a few moments of chaos before they leave." He studied Remy's expression and thought whatever happened between Remy and his father was up to them.

"I don' mind..." He said quietly. He didn't think coffee would be good for him and he was hoping to take advantage of Logan's couch if he got tired enough. He stepped over to it and sat down, trying to stay out of the way if the kids were going to be running around hectically getting ready for school.

Logan took a breath before sitting his cup down on a glass coffee table and turning towards the stairs. "Be right back, time for them to get up." He turned around to look at the top of the stairs and then back at Remy. "You sure yer okay, kid?"

"Oui..." He said, although with thoughts of Alex not surviving this, his voice got shaky and he wasn't sure if he would be okay for too much longer. What was he going to do? Remy ran his hands through his hair and couldn't keep the image of Alex's lifeless body from his mind. His hands started to shake and he felt his eyes sting.

Waiting for the answer, Logan hurried upstairs and roused the children from sleep. He spent a good ten minutes telling them to hurry and getting their breakfasts and lunches ready for them as they filed downstairs and grabbed their given meals. On hurried mornings that they walked with their friends, Logan handed them each a fruit flavoured pop tart and pre-packed lunches from the night before. Kissing Stephanie's forehead and ruffling Matthew's hair a bit, he told them goodbye and let them pause to greet Remy before rushing off to each of their groups to walk with.

Logan sat down on the floor in front of the sofa and blinked up at Remy. "You wanna tell me just what has you so spooked, or are ya gonna make me guess? I'm guessin it has somethin to do with Alex, huh?" Sipping his warmed up coffee, he watched Remy with patience for whatever Remy had wanted to release.

"Somebody... kidnapped Alex...." Remy's fingers tightened in his hair and he looked pleadingly at Logan. "Dey're gon' kill 'im, Logan." He got out shakily. "Poppa won' give 'em what dey wan'...."

"Well, I can see why he wouldn't play their game but, I think I wouldn't give them anythin either." Hardening his expression, he sat forward. "When did this happen? Anyone else know?"

"Yesterday... t'ink poppa probably talked to his cronies... but... you wouldn' do anythin', Logan?" He asked looking at Logan, re-evaluating this man. Maybe he saw something Remy didn't-- a way Alex would be okay. Or maybe he was just as cold and hard as his father.

Logan stiffened. "That's not fair. I'm sure yer dad is just as worried about him as you are, he just might not show it as you do." Placing a hand on Remy's knee he smiled thinly. "There is always another way of doin things, without givin up to the bad guys. Police, FBI, negotiate.....? Rem, this ain't the end of the world. I'm sure we can get Alex back without a scratch. You think?"

Remy shook his head. "Dey knew we were callin' de police de moment we did. Dey got... connections or are watchin' or somethin'... I jus'... I don' tink I could live wid m'self if anythin' happened t' Alex... because o' me." Remy wasn't sure that his father was worried about Alex at all. He thought that he was pretending to be for Remy's sake, but was in fact more worried about Remy's heart condition than Alex.

Logan moved from his position and knelt closer to Remy. Waving the boy into his arms, he sighed deeply and hugged Remy for a long moment while he took in the situation. "It's gonna be okay."

Remy grasped onto Logan's shirt as if it were a life preserver. "What if dey kill him?" he choked out.

"Shh shh shhh. They won't. We'll get him back." Logan held him close and stroked the back of his head, feeling the closeness and tightness as Remy wasn't about to let go, and he wasn't about to let him.

Sniffling, Remy leaned away from Logan and tried to compose himself. "Sorry, cher... I could... probably use dat coffee now..." He said quietly.

Logan nodded and stood up, making his way to the kitchen for a second cup of coffee. "The sofa is plenty comfy if you wanna take a nap, or at least lie down." He called back as he poured the coffee and replaced the pot on the burner before heading back to the living room.

"Think I'm okay." He said and just rested his elbows on his knees with his head in his hands. He took deep breaths trying to steady himself.

Standing before the young man, Logan took in Remy's bare upper body. Handing the cup to him, he sat down to Remy's right and took a sip of his, rubbing Remy's back.

"Thanks." He said quietly and took a few sips of the bitter drink. He felt his nervousness increase as he sat, but he forced himself to sit and finish his coffee. Setting his cup aside, Remy turned to Logan and grimaced. He was grateful that the man was such a good friend.

"Don't you think you oughtta at least let yer dad know where you are?" Logan said after a long, quiet moment.

Swallowing, he looked at the carpet before he stood and said, "Oui. Sorry, I didn' mean t' boder y'." He stepped over to the door. He actually didn't want to let his father know where he was, but he didn't want to bother Logan any more. "Tanks f' de coffee, cher," he said and leaned down to kiss Logan before he leaned back up and showed himself out.

Grabbing Remy's slender wrist, he halted the boy and stood up. "I didn't mean it to shoo you away. I just think that it ain't fair to scare him like this. That's all."

"I understand," He said and nodded. "I'll go an' let 'im know I'm okay." He said and grasped Logan's wrist reassuringly.

There was something in his tone that made Logan wonder but having complete faith in his young friend, he only nodded and let go of the wrist. "My door is always open, kid."

"Thanks." He said with a soft smile and headed out. Once on the porch though, he looked back at Logan before heading over to his own place. Once inside, he headed straight for his room and got dressed. He didn't want to have to be around his father for any longer than necessary. The man was seriously pissing him off. At least Logan acted concerned in his inability to bend. After he was fully dressed in a suit, like he were going in for work, he went down stairs and picked up Alex's cell phone on his way back out. 

"Where de Hell do you think you're goin?" Jean-Luc stood up from sitting on the sofa, reading over some business paperwork. "Remy?!"

"Investigatin'." Remy growled and slammed the door as he left, not pausing at all. He went to his car and drove off, headed for work, kind of on auto-pilot.

 

Continued......


	8. Chapter 8

Remy dialed the nonemergency police number and waited to talk to a detective.

The phone rang twice and then a click before a male's concealed voice scolded him. "Ah ah ah, I said no police. Do you want the little bitch to die, mister LeBeau?"

"Non, I wanted t' talk to you. My father ain' gon' give up his company for some nobody his son was datin' dat he didn' like anyway. Dat's why I'm offerin' a trade-up f' somethin' he jus' might give up his company for."

The voice laughed. "And what would that be? If dear old daddy won't give it up, there might be some bad repercussions."

"I don' care. You let Alex go... y' get me in return," he said deadly serious.

The voice became cold and hard as they listened to Remy offer himself in return. "Done." They paused to hear a ragged breath from Remy and then added. "A limo will be waiting outside of your building in one hour. Tell anyone, both of you are dead. Understood?"

"Agreed," he said, just as cold and professional and then Remy hung up the phone and started his car back up from where he had parked a few blocks away from work. He parked in his normal spot and went to his office to leave a message for his father, wrapping up any work he needed done... and his will.... Once that was done, he headed for the front of the building and looked for the limo.

Remy waited outside the office building, a frown on his face. His eyes were peeled for the limo that was going to get him. He had been shaking in his office, but he was cold and collected once he was outside and actually facing this. Before... he had a chance to think. He had been writing his will for Christ's sake. He didn't let himself think about that in the moments he was waiting.

A sleek black limo pulled up along the front and opened the passenger door. A hand from inside the dark tinted windows waved him in.

Remy climbed in the car and made a point to look at who was waving him in. He wanted to see this person.

The man was built like a brick wall and dressed in a very expensive black suit with an earpiece. Dark shades covered his eyes and he grinned sickly at Remy as he climbed in and sat down. He was a bodyguard obviously but, Remy couldn't place him. "Fasten your seatbelt." The man sneered, calling to the driver to go.

"So de man wan' me unharmed. Sweet," he commented, but shut the door and complied with the belt.

Sneering at Remy, the man spoke again, his voice even deeper than before. "Oh, they have plans for you."

Remy filed the 'they' away under tid-bits he learned about his captors, but didn't pay any more mind to the body guard. He did watch the windows so he could see where they were going. He crossed his arms and waited after he was situated.

The man waited a few minutes or so and then retrieved a blindfold from his inside jacket pocket. "Put it on." He tossed it at Remy and narrowed his eyes, hoping for conflict.

Remy rolled his eyes, but wasn't about to protest. He was going willingly.

The driver had taken an extended route, indirectly heading for a warehouse that was owned by his father's rival business. They arrived half an hour later and Remy was yanked out of the backseat and into what sounded like an empty room.

"I wanna see Alex," he said calmly.

"Remove the blindfold." A deep voice called from far off to his left. 

Remy reached up and removed it, then looked for the voice and tried to orient himself in the room.

An older gentleman with salt and pepper hair stood with his hands folded in front of him and smiled welcomingly at Remy. "Welcome, mister LeBeau. I trust you are unharmed....?"

"As unharmed as I can be," he said, he hoped cryptically.

"Good to hear. My boys tend to get overly excited at time." The smile ingrained on his face.

"Where's Alex?" Remy asked, again, calmly, but starting to get worried.

The man thought quizzically. "Alex? He's fine. If you'll come with me, I'll take you to him." Unfolding his hands and gesturing to his right, as they had been in an empty warehouse. "This way, please."

Remy followed after the man and swallowed nervously. "You aren't a competitor of my father's," he stated plainly. He knew all of them and what they looked like. He didn't recognize this man.

"Me? No. I am merely an employee of someone who has dealings with your father." He led Remy to a back storage room and opened the door to show Remy inside.

Alex sat on a metal chair and stood up, eager to rush over to Remy. "Remy, you're here?!" Wrapping his arms around the young man, they kissed and his embrace grew tighter as they were forced apart by the bodyguard.

Remy tried to keep hold of Alex, but eventually let himself be dragged away. "You all right, Alex?" he asked concerned, checking him over worriedly.

Alex trembled but nodded. "Yes. For now. What are you doing here?"

"Dey're lettin' you go," he said meaningfully, looking at the man who was the cultured employee of his kidnappers. "Dat was de agreement."

"Well, yes.... and no." Came the voice of a younger man from behind them. "Sorry to disappoint you, Remy, but Alex was never really going to be let go. Not yet, at least."

Remy growled and turned to the new voice... and paused at who he saw. "S-Summers?" he asked. "Scott Summers? *You're* behind dis!?" he yelled and made to march toward the boy competitor.

"Well, yes." Scott smirked but stood ready to deal with Remy. "Have a seat, LeBeau." He growled back. A hand placed on his ruby glassed shades. "Alex, get some rope."

Remy's head snapped to Alex as the order was given... and he wondered for a moment if Summers was just using Alex... but Alex, if truly a prisoner wouldn't *know* where the rope was, much less be trusted with it.... on the other hand it was just rope. He didn't know what to think, but he looked appalled at Alex.

"I' I' I'm sorry, Remy....." Looking mournful as though he just lost his best friend, Alex tended to his task with barely an upward glance.

"Wait!! Why are you doin' dis?" Remy asked, looking so lost he couldn't stand how weak he must look in that moment.

Guiding Remy back to the chair and kneeling behind him, he whispered. "Please forgive me, Remy. I promise, we won't hurt you." He tied the rope tightly but not so tight to have Remy completely bound.

Scott sneered and narrowed his eyes at the handsome young Cajun. "What's this 'we' shit? Tie him up and let's go, we have work to do."

"Alex-- wait-- please... jus'... explain dis to me, please!" he begged. What was Alex doing? Why was he doing this? What kind of power did Summers have over him? The man was treating him like crap.

Kneeling in front of Remy, Alex took a breath and closed his eyes, hoping to avoid eye contact with Remy. "He's my brother, Remy. He found out about you and me, and-- I can't embarrass my family like that.... I love you but, I need my family too. Please understand...." Leaning forward and reaching up to guide Remy in for another kiss, he caught Remy's eye.

Remy's glare could have killed him if looks had such power. As it was, his hands were glowing and his bindings exploded and he stood up suddenly, as if lunging for Alex, but he maintained his ground. He stepped away from the chair, as if he were just going to walk away. His wrists hurt... but not near as much as his heart. "Don' let me ever see you again, Alex."

"Remy please.... This wasn't my idea!"

Alex had been blown back to sit on the floor and stare upwards

"Please *what?!*" he spat back at Alex. "Neider of you get me any more. Deal's off, Summers. Alex ain' goin', y' don' get me," he said and started to walk out.

Scott stepped in front of him. "I think not, swamp boy." Letting a small blast escape overtop of his glasses, he used enough to knock Remy back into a corner but not enough to seriously hurt him. "I need you too much to let you go."

Blown back, Remy was heavily dazed and he could barely see, let alone raise his own defenses. "Y' always were a lame ass, Scott," he growled at the man. "Can' get nothin' on y' own, so you gotta trick y' way int' sabotagin' de competition... wid de help o' y' *broder* no less."

Storming over to Remy, Scott grabbed Remy's shirt and pulled him up only to backhand him. "Shut up! You took a scared, impressionable young man and turned him into your personal bitch! Meanwhile, your dear old dad just goes on with his business, not even realizing that his son is ruining his own family. So, I've decided to relieve your father of this dilemma, and quite possibly you....." Heaving with hot temper, Scott fisted his hand into Remy's shirt, wishing it was Remy he had ahold of instead of his clothing.

"Oh, come on, Scott-- you knew your broder was gay, you jus' could' bring y'self t' fuck 'im like y' know he wanted y' to," he spat, even more disoriented from the blows he was receiving, but all he had were his words to throw at Scott.

Scott fumed and couldn't answer, didn't want to answer. Instead, he released Remy and let him fall back into the corner. "At least I'm not someone who has to flaunt his money around just to get a pretty fuck." Turning and glaring at Alex before leaving the room. "Alex.... tie him up good this time..... or I'll do it for you."

Alex rushed to Remy's side to see if he was alright. "Remy....? You okay?" He asked, concerned.

"Go fuck y' broder," he spat.

Feeling like he had been slapped in the face physically, Alex said nothing more only helped Remy up and placed the bodyguards with guns before him. "Shoot him if he moves." Plain and quiet as he turned around to look for something to tie Remy up with, tears hindering on falling from his lashes.

He came back with heavier rope and special gloves as well as a cloth to clean the blood from Remy's lip. Minding his task quietly, he moved to clean Remy's lip but paused as he took in the sight of his former lover. Catching Remy looking at him, he lowered his gaze to Remy's shirt.

Remy's breath deepened as he got a little nervous. Alex had always been beautiful to him and he couldn't help but believe that now... but the knowledge he had tinted everything and he couldn't help trying to tear himself away from his feelings for him.

Finishing with cleaning Remy up..... his left thumb lingered on Remy's soft cheek and he smiled faintly, glad Remy wasn't too beaten up. "I really didn't want this to happen, Remy. I don't think I’ve ever had so much feeling as I felt making love to you." He stated softly. "This was all Scott's idea."

"But you went along wid it, salaude," he whispered sweetly, as if the cuss were an endearment.

"I know." Nodding and closing his eyes at the curse. "But, I thought Scott would stop after he scared you. I didn't think he'd go after your dad. And, I really didn't expect to have you offer yourself in my stead. You said you didn't love me anymore. I thought before we made love in the shower, I could just find what he wanted while you were asleep and that'd be it. He was the one that thought of this."

"You didn' think I loved you....?" he asked, a little hurt.

Alex blinked. "Well, you were always over at that guy- Logan's- house. And then bam, all of a sudden you tell me to leave because it isn't working out! What am I supposed to think?"

"I needed t' do dat f' me, Alex. Didn' mean I didn' love you.... Guess y' get what y' believe." His emotions were so conflicted.

Moving closer and placing a hand on Remy's chest, Alex stared into Remy's beautifully dark eyes. "I do love you, Remy. I wanted us to be together. What's that guy got that I don’t?"

"Logan would never hurt me, Alex. Logan wouldn' *betray me,*" he growled. 

Ashamed, Alex backed away and stood up. Sniffling and turning around as he hadn't wanted Remy to see, he came face to face with his brother, leaning against the doorframe, glowering at them.

"Get lost, Alex." His voice was cold but he stared past his brother at the man responsible for making Alex cry.

Remy stared at Scott, challenging him even from where he sat. "Called m' fader yet?" he asked, a note of haughtiness in his voice.

Waiting until Alex left the room; Scott stepped in and shut the door. He grabbed another chair and sat backwards in it, one hand holding onto the back. "Oh yes. Might I add, he's not too pleased that you've run off to your death. Are you really in such a hurry to kill yourself, LeBeau?" A smirk and a cool laugh as he sat a few feet away.

"Nothin' left t' live for," he said mildly, staring at Scott. Remy's memory started to churn as he looked at Scott. He squinted at him. "You..." Was that *right?* Remy was a bit confused. "Did you attend Yale...?" he asked, his voice beginning to be haunted.

A subtle glare shifted onto his face. "Don't pull that memory shit on me. You know damn well where I'm from!" A low growl and clenched teeth behind a closed mouth.

"But I didn'... Why are you doin' dis now if... you had a crush on me...?" he asked. He knew it-- it was him. He had asked him out years and years ago... but Remy had turned him down-- he had been a bit uptight for him then.

"Call it pay back." Scott replied, smugly. The hand that had been holding onto the back of the chair let go and stroked the inside of Remy's right thigh. "A burn for you, as you've burned me."

"Y' had t' get y' broder t' hunt me down an' seduce me because you couldn't?" he spat.

A short laugh. "Oh, Alex did that on his own. He saw a year book of mine and tracked you down. Apparently he must have been on his knees, suckin you off so good that you couldn't tell him no. But, all of this could have been avoided, Remy. All you had to do was just say yes. That was all I was askin'."

"Guess it's too late t' say yes now," he said and glared at Scott. "An' f' de record, I said no 'cause y' were stuck up an' no fun."

"Oh, and my poor little bitch brother is a barrel of laughs?" Laughing outright, Scott straightened and leaned forward. "You don't know what you missed, cunt."

"You a better fuck dan y' broder?" he asked.

"Babe, I could fuck you til you couldn't walk away from my bed." Leaning forward and licking Remy's lips, he smirked and sat back. "But, you had to choose Alex..... Guess you go for the younger ones, huh?"

Remy glared at Scott as his lips were licked... and kicked himself for the shudder it caused to go through him. "I tend t' go f' de younger ones, oui. But generally, I ain' on m' back," he glared at Scott, implying that he wasn't a bottom.

"Hm." Scott snorted. "We could see about that. But, for now...." checking his watch and standing up. "I have business to take care of. So, I'm gonna leave you with Martin, here, and we'll see if you're alive in 45 minutes when I get back." He winked and turned around to nod to the bodyguard who stood like a stone statue throughout the whole conversation.

Scott turned as he reached the door. "Should I send my brother to relieve that tension?" He laughed and turned the corner.

*********

Alex stared through the small square of a window at Remy. He had gotten tired and his head drooped, Alex thought it was from worrying about him all night. As Remy lifted his head back from letting his chin rest on his chest, Alex thought seriously about trying once more for Remy's affections. He could love Remy just as much as that Logan guy could. Opening the door with a sandwich, Remy's favourite, he entered quietly and nodded for the bodyguard to leave them alone. "Remy...?" Kneeling in front of the older man, he spoke in a low tone. "I have a sandwich for you, if you're hungry...?"

Remy looked at Alex, then sighed and nodded. "Kinda sore," he said. He had been sitting on a hard surface, uncomfortable for a long time, tied in place. 

Alex looked behind him and then up at the camera that had been pointed right at Remy. He thought for a minute and licked his lips. "If I let you up, will you promise not to try anything?" He blinked up at his lover and could see the visible wear this whole situation had on Remy.

Taking a deep breath, Remy let it out in a huff as he nodded. "Oui," he said. It wasn't like they would let him get very far.

Putting down the plate on the floor, Alex lifted himself up to crawl around and untie Remy's hands, slowly.

Remy adjusted when Alex freed him and looked at the sandwich, then at Alex.

Smiling as he crawled back around to sit in front of Remy, he picked up the plate and offered it to him. "I made it myself. You always liked my cooking, right?" Alex lifted to his knees.

"Oui... when y' did cook," he said and took the sandwich. It was good... and he was hungry.... he just... wanted things to go back to the way they had been before. Part of him really was wishing that he had just given Scott a chance way the hell back when, but it wasn't something he could do now....

Pulling out a small bottle of soda from his pants pocket that had been just loose enough to contain the drink, he opened it and handed it to Remy. "Somethin to wash it down with." He smiled in silent awe of how beautiful Remy had remained through the day.

"Thanks.... Alex," he said and frowned as he accepted the drink, and devoured the sandwich.

As Remy finished the sandwich and took a few sips of the soda, Alex reached up to grab the plate with one hand and placed the other on Remy's thigh. "You're welcome.....Remy."

Remy looked sadly at Alex. He didn't know what to do with the man or how to feel about him.

Catching Remy's eyes and removing the plate from between them, Alex closed the gap and kissed Remy, whispering how he loved him. "Oh Remy, I'm so glad you're here, I'm not so scared now. I don't wanna do this anymore. I don't wanna hurt you." Kissing the soft lips, Alex ran his hands along Remy's taut chest and stomach.

"Alex... it's y' broder dat's been hurtin' me... It's him I gotta deal wid...." he said softly.

"I know Remy but," kissing him again. "I wanna help. I'll make it right, okay? I promise, Remy." Alex closed his eyes and hoped Remy would return the sentiments.

"Would appreciate de help," he said.

Alex heard but continued to kiss the soft skin, his hands moving to the fastenings on Remy's jeans. "I've missed touching you, and the way you feel inside me.... oh god Remy.... you drive me crazy."

Remy's breath picked up and he felt a tingle begin to stir his body at the mention of sex with his ex-lover. Remy had always liked the way Alex felt around his cock. A small moan escaped his throat.

Lifting Remy's shirt and lowering himself to drag his tongue across Remy's stomach, Alex perked at the moan in his ears from his lover. Working the fastening on the jeans and reaching in to remove Remy's rapidly hardening manhood, Alex smiled and began to lick at the forming wetness on the tip. "Oh Remy... I need to feel you inside me."

"Merde," Remy swore but his hips lifted in response. He wanted Alex too, but... he had betrayed him...He felt so good though!

Alex continued to suck lovingly at Remy's erection. His tongue would occasionally run the length with using only the tip and going in a very slow pace to make Remy moan in pleasure. Wrapping an arm around Remy's thin waist and a hand around the base, Alex's pace quickened.

He was soaking Remy's erection with his saliva and hoping his suggestion was working for something more.

"Dieu... Alex... cher," he moaned and his hands tangled in Alex's hair.

Remy was close, so close at release but he wanted something more to come of their play instead of just a blowjob. Alex sucked harder and cup his hand around Remy's tightening balls and squeezed them a little while the other hand moved to unfasten his own jeans.

Breathing in heavily to steady himself, Remy watched in awe as Alex undid his jeans and got out of them. He was beautiful and Remy watched him enraptured, hoping that he was in fact planning what he thought he was planning.

Alex stopped his ministrations to focus on his jeans and placing himself in front of Remy. Kneeling on his hands and knees, Alex looked back at Remy and quirked a smile at him.

Remy rose to his knees and got behind Alexand flung off his shirt. He licked at his hole with his tongue and made him all wet and slick with saliva. He was hard and he wanted to fuck Alex... but that he was a prisoner still only confused him, so he tried to stop thinking about it. 

Alex moaned and pressed himself back against Remy's tongue, reaching down to his own erection and start to jerk himself off. "Oh, Remy.... please..... fuck me. God, you tease so good."

Remy let himself think about Alex's body instead as he pressed his tongue into the man's ass. He kissed Alex's cheek before he straightened and placed his leaking cock to his entrance. He looked good and he liked the way Alex just begged for him.

Alex pressed himself back in desperate need to feel Remy inside him. "Yes...Oh please, Remy."

"Alex..." he whispered and his hands gripped his hips as he started thrusting into him. "Cher... y' feel so good..." He always did.

Alex pushed himself up so that his back was against Remy's chest. "Mmmm.... god Remy.... rrrr, harder." He whispered and brought Remy's hand around to help him stroke himself. "Shit, you feel so good."

"Dieu," Remy whispered and bit and sucked at Alex's shoulder. "M so addicted to y'," he moaned.

Reveling in the feel of Remy moving in and out of him, Alex reached his free hand around to draw Remy deeper. "You are totally amazing. I want you to do this to me, forever, Remy." Biting his bottom lip and closing his eyes, Alex began to pant and wanted more of the wonderful sex Remy was so willingly giving him.

Remy purred into Alex's neck and he played with his nipples, letting the sensitive flesh bead before he pinched them hard.

Crying out in pleasure and pain, Alex caressed the backs of Remy's strong hands and moaned softly as his body stretched and moved to lean forward on his elbows as he could feel Remy follow him and lay overtop of him. "Mmm... mmm...mmm...." was all the words he had been reduced to. Surviving a day without Remy was like living a month without water.

"Oui," Remy moaned as he pumped into Alex. His hips made soft slapping sounds as they hit Alex's. Remy continued stroking Alex's cock and started to suck harder at his neck, leaving, he was sure, a mark that was going to be difficult to mistake.

"Oh God, Remy!" Alex cried out as he felt teeth sink into his flesh. His hand covered Remy's and squeezed a bit. "Uh... oh, Remy.... I'm gonna come.... mmmm!" His muscles tightened around Remy, he could feel it. Grinding his hips back, into his wonderful lover, Alex cooed and purred and begged for more as he began to pant and sweat.

"Yesss!" Remy hissed into Alex's shoulder and he started pounding him fast. He erupted into him with the tight clench around him making everything seem impossibly good around his cock. He stroked Alex as he spurted and Remy spurted inside him. He could feel Alex's body tense in rapture and Remy soon followed, his orgasm lasting until Alex's body started to calm down.

Clear fluid darkened the grey cement beneath them and Alex fell forward, supporting both he and Remy on his elbows. "God, you're hot Remy." He panted heavily into the floor. His forehead rest on the cold floor as he breathed in deeply the scent of fantastic sex. A hand reached around to hold Remy inside him another moment before Alex regained his senses. "I love this. I could let you fuck me all night."

"Could fuck y' all night, cher," he purred into his ear.

Pressing himself back, arching upwards, he could feel Remy's arms around him. "Then, please don't stop. Please just..... screw me so hard, Remy. You know how I like it. You know I love it when it's just you." He whispered and entwined his fingers with Remy's.

"Dieu... Alex..." he panted and kissed at his neck. He was going to take a moment to get hard again, but he nipped and bit at Alex's neck. "I'll take y' harder dis time," he said to him, his hands running down his body. 

Alex purred his response and rubbed himself against Remy. "Yes."

The sensations at his hands made his cock start to fill with blood again and he purred against Alex. 

"Mmm.... Remy.... please...."

"Oui..." he said softly and started moving inside Alex again, slowly at first. "Talk dirty t' me, cher."

"Oh Remy... god, you fuck so pretty.... mmm.... screw me... screw me so hard..... I wanna come all over the floor......" Alex panted, eyes still closed.

"Yes," he encouraged, his body tingling hard again with arousal at the words Alex said that felt like they were made of fire. It was only a moment before he was able to start fucking him hard again, but it would take him a while this time to cum. He wanted Alex coming on him every five minutes though.

"Ahh.... yes.... ohhhhhh Remy....." Alex was leveled by the feeling in his ass.

Gripping Alex's hips again, Remy thought he was going to bruise him as he pounded into the man, his own moans getting louder.

Tears welled in Alex's eyes as he bit his own arm to keep from moaning too loudly at the feeling of Remy moving at a much faster speed than before. He gasped and pressed himself against Remy, cooing and purring against him. "Yea! Just like that..... mmmm..... Fuck me, Remy. Bruise me, pound me, don't ever stop." A smile laced his lips as he closed his eyes and tried to envision himself watching what Remy was doing. He loved watching Remy make love to him, somehow forcing his orgasm to be deeper as his eyes were glued to the Cajun. "Make me come, Remy."

Grasping Alex's cock, Remy stroked him and whispered in his ear. "Y' hot body's gon' make me come, Alex. Every time I fuck y', I can' help it-- y' such a sexpot," he purred. He licked along the shell of his ear and then let his tongue slide into the inner shell of his ear. "Y' mine," he whispered right at the entrance to his ear.

Gasping loudly and smiling as he finally heard what he needed to hear so badly, Alex smiled and purred. "I'll be anything you want me to be, Remy. I love it when you screw me." Opening his eyes and looking down to watch Remy stroke him, Alex was becoming very turned on and was almost to the point of release but, he wanted to hear Remy tell him to come. "Rrrr....! Harder, Remy...Ohhh!"

Remy pounded into him harder and he could see the bruises developing under his fingers. "Fuck, Alex... Squeeze me, cher. Squeeze 'round me-- fuck de air, cher--" he said taking his hand away from Alex. "Come f' me an' I'll fill y' up!" he growled into his ear.

Alex drooled a bit down his chin and did what he was told, tightening around Remy and moving with him, needing release so badly. "Ah, Remy... I can't.... hold it.... Please Remy!" He cried loudly as he slammed his hips back against Remy's. "Deep, deep,... oh god, deep Remy." He purred, letting only small sprits escape his dark red and hardened erection, watching each spray hit the floor.

"Fuck, Alex, come f' me!"

Hearing Remy say those words had always made Alex go over the edge. Gratefully, he came in long, hot spurts that looked like clear and white ribbons as they sprayed the floor. "Come Remy. Come inside me, please. Give it all to me. I want it."

Remy panted hard as he found his orgasm and ran toward it, rushing to fill Alex's tight body with come. He wanted him dripping out the ass. He screamed Alex's name and groaned, hugging Alex's body to his own tightly.

Not being able to hold himself- let alone a tired Remy- he collapsed and moaned as Remy had filled that spot inside him with completeness. Panting hard and smiling as if he had been fucked for the first time, Alex lay flat on his stomach, smearing the bits of puddles into his shirt. "Remy, you can do that forever."

"Need more food f' dat," he smirked, but hugged Alex, holding his own weight above him. Remy sighed into Alex's hair and nuzzled his neck. He smelled good.

Inhaling deeply and moving closer to Remy, Alex was in Heaven again. It had taken him awhile to hear Remy say his favourite phrase- that Remy claimed him, and he loved it. "Mm, Remy..." He whispered.

Leaning on one elbow, Remy petted Alex's shoulder with his other hand and caressed down his side. He had been so worried about Alex and even though he felt betrayed by him... he was relieved that he was safe.

Alex cringed as the light touch tickled. "You still mad at me?" Turning to look at the other man, Alex's eyes questioned Remy's answer.

"Little bit," he said softly. "Y' broder didn' ask y' t' get involved wid me...?" he asked, hoping for an answer that spoke to the purity of Alex's feelings.

"Of course not. I'm not the brightest of Summers but, I'm not cruel." Alex was a bit shocked to have had the question asked. 

"Den y' can tell me 'bout why y' did it later," he said. He didn't really want to ruin the moment with long explanations that would have one or more of them angry at the other.

Alex turned away and stared at the floor. "Scott just wanted the company, or so he told me. So, I was looking in your car for that big deal with Janks Electronics..... the one that you were so mad about until you won the deal..... to kind of submarine your dad's company from inside. I swear Remy, When I found out he hated you, I didn't want to play anymore." He had hoped that by being honest about the original idea wouldn't be so bad as explaining that Scott threatened him, too.

"It's okay, Alex... really. We can talk 'bout it later, d'accord?" he said and kissed his cheek from behind.

Alex smiled as Remy kissed his cheek. He was about to roll over and kiss Remy back when the door opened and in stepped Scott with a twisted grin.

Remy cringed and looked away, swallowing hard when Scott walked in... and saw him on top of his brother. "Merde," he swore under his breath. He didn't like that grin on his face either. "Sorry, Alex," he said softly as he removed himself from Alex's body as gently as he could. He would let Alex go so they could try and get decent again.

"What is he doing out of his chair, Alex?" Scott barked, scolding his brother. "Didn't I tell you, you are not supposed to be playing house with this princess. He's a hostage, not your boyfriend!" Scott came in and yanked Alex up off of the floor, telling him to get dressed and leave with Remy's clothes.

Alex cried out in pain as Scott's hold on his arm was bruisingly rough. He did as he was told but gave Remy a sympathetic look as he exited the room.

Remy glared at Scott when the orders came out of his mouth. Leave with his clothes?! Part of him wanted to take Alex and run, but he wasn't sure he could really do that without making things worse. Rising, Remy looked evenly at Scott even though he was the one that was vulnerable and naked. He nodded the okay to Alex before he left.

"Was it good, princess?" Scott smirked at the word he chose to refer to Remy by. "Perhaps I didn't make myself clear, you aren't here to fuck my little brother for your own personal porno." Pointing to the camera behind Remy and growling, Scott took a step towards Remy.

Remy grimaced slightly at the camera he hadn't known was there and he looked away from Scott. "Y' de one who wanted him t' have dis relationship wid me," he growled, knowing that it wasn't true-- but Scott didn't know that Remy knew.

Fuming, Scott couldn't answer. "Do you enjoy fuckin him, LeBeau?" Standing pretty much two feet away from Remy, his smile was tinted with cruelty as he reached out and lightly stroked Remy's chest.

"He was my lover f' a year, Scott. You figure it out."

"But, you were always in control." Taking one step closer to him, Scott's hand slipped down to Remy's slickened manhood and held just tight enough to make Remy flinch.

Looking away from Scott, Remy's breath became shallow. His teeth ground. "Haven' really known any oder way," he said tightly.

Eyes laughing behind his shades, Scott sang his answer. "I could teach you. All you'd have to do is adore me, and I will be your slave. When your dad signs over the company to me, we could rule the marketing world together. All you have to do is warm my bed." A devilish grin pressed Remy to say yes as he squeezed a bit tighter on the sensitive appendage.

"What if y' let m' father keep his company... an' I come home wid you instead o' you havin' t' let me go...?" he asked, feeling a little sick to his stomach. He would go with him... if it meant saving his father grief. 

"No. Then, I wouldn't be able to see your family suffer as mine did..... for 14 years in a row. Every year, we'd reel in a new client, and outta the blue- Jean-Luc would sweep them off their feet and away from us. Tell me, Remy-" Closing the gap between them, Scott pulled Remy's hips to his with a firm tug, he asked. "Is that fair?"

"It's business, Scott," Remy said, a bit patronizingly, but tried to be gentle about it. "M' fader worked hard an' he ended up ignorin' me an' my broder f' a long time, so we've all suffered. He was jus' tryin' t' do de best he could f' his family... jus' like yours was. It ain' fair... but it's life. Y' can' expect me t' lay an' watch y' hurt m' family while adorin' y' at de same time," he said, hoping that the expectations sounded as unreasonable to Scott as they did to him.

"Eh, so much for hoping you'd come quietly." Taking a quick breath, Scott leaned in and captured Remy's mouth, not caring if he was bruising the other man or not. Prying Remy's mouth open and forcing in his tongue, Scott pressed Remy against the wall and held Remy's hands above his head with one hand while working the fastenings on his jeans.

Remy wanted to talk, but Scott's tongue in his mouth made that rather difficult of a prospect. The man was artful in his kiss though-- it wasn't slobbery even though it held a desperation of a sort. Remy moaned in protest and struggled because he wanted to talk to the man about this. Why couldn't he see reason?

Scott smirked and stopped what he was doing to focus on stroking Remy's manhood. Pulling away from the man's lips, he whispered. "I've never had a prettier trophy than a hot piece of Cajun ass."

"Scott, please..." he asked, trying to look beyond the visor to the man's eyes, but it was impossible. "I'll stay wid y' if y' jus' leave m' fader outta dis. It'll be grief enough dat he thinks his son dead... please....?" Remy kissed his captor voluntarily, sensually.

Scott held the kiss a moment longer before asking in a smug tone, "And I have your unrelenting word on that? Why should I believe you now, only to have you possibly run out later? How do I make sure this is....." Looking Remy up and down, he licked his lips. "Kosher?"

"I try t' run out on y'... y' jus' ransom me again. De longer y' keep me, de more willin' m' fader will be t' part wid his company. A year later, if he figured I'm dead, but y' show up wid proof I'm alive; he'd sign it over lickety-split. I don' wan' dat... so I'll stay," he said sincerely.

Smirking, Scott ran over the possibilities in his head of how well the idea could work. "You'd give your body to me? Every night, if I asked...?"

Remy swallowed and a small whimper escaped him. "Oui..." he whispered, fearing how he might be treated, but it was better than the alternative.

Releasing Remy's hands, Scott let his roam Remy's thin waist as he moved in for another kiss. "You see, if you had just said yes from the beginning, we probably wouldn't have to do it the rough way."

"I'm sorry," he said softly, cringing. He hadn't meant to hurt Scott all those years ago. He had a feeling that he was going to be paying for that for some time. He breathed in shakily.

Scott ended the kiss and whispered into Remy's ear. "Then get on your knees and show me how good you can swallow, and I might consider your apology." He smiled as Remy sank to his knees without protest. Offering himself to Remy, with hips pressing toward him, Scott guided his shaft to Remy’s lips, but gave him the choice on whether or not to suck him in. Swallowing with a sad face, Remy closed his eyes and opened his mouth to gently wrap around the shaft of his captor. Scott made appreciative noises above him and his hips thrust gently into Remy’s mouth, just keeping his penetration shallow enough that he didn’t cause the young man to gag. “Harder,” he commanded and Remy firmed the seal around his lips and drew back along the shaft and then back down. Scott came within minutes and panted his orgasm down Remy's velvety throat. Remy swallowed soundlessly and then drew his head away from Scott’s hips with a look of disgust. As he turned around, he caught Alex peering in through the window and smiled even wider as he opened the door.

"W-what did you do? You didn't hurt him, did you? Remy?!" Alex cried as Scott forced him back down the hall.

Remy frowned and looked at the floor. He stayed where he was. He didn't know how he was going to tell Alex what happened.

Alex tried to go back but Scott held his arm tightly and told him to keep walking. "Let go! I'm going to give him his clothes back and then we're leaving, together. I'm not going to put him through this, Scott." He growled in protest of being forced away from his lover.

Scott's tone was hard and quickened the pace. "He's not your Remy anymore."

"Alex, stop!" Remy shouted. "Jus'... go."

Hearing Remy's voice telling him to move on was a blow Alex was not ready to handle. Tears surfaced but didn't fall as he was shoved into a corner office and left to wonder what happened between Remy and Scott.

Remy's fists clenched at his sides and he stared at Scott. "What are you gon' tell 'im?" Remy asked. He probably wouldn't be allowed to even talk to Alex any more.

"Absolutely nothing. I'm going to let him wonder what happened to you until it kills him. You're my property now, get used to it." Scott didn't even turn around to know Remy was boiling with anger, and he smiled.

"Can I have my clothes?" he asked, trying to keep his teeth from grinding.

Glancing over his shoulder, Scott frowned. "Honestly, I like you better without them but," Reaching to a small cart beside the door, Scott picked up the pile and tossed it at Remy. "Quit whining."

Remy pursed his lips, wondering what he got himself into and pulled his clothes on to preserve some of his dignity. He stared at Scott, trying to figure out what came next.

"By the way ... your dad now has one day left." Grinning and watching Remy dress, Scott waited until the show was over before he waved goodbye and left the room, locking the door behind him.

"Scott!!" Remy shouted and rushed at the door. He was going back on his word?

Scott's laughter echoed throughout the long hallway as he headed for where Alex had been placed to "cheer him up." He had such plans for Remy and couldn't wait to act upon them while holding the deed to LeBeau Industries.

**********

Jean-Luc had waited all evening, getting as much as he could done from Remy's home as he waited for him. He wasn't home by seven though, so Jean-Luc started to get worried. Remy's car wasn't back, but he thought Logan might have an idea about what was going on. He knew his son spent some time over at Logan's house and that they were friends. Stepping out of the house, Jean-Luc left the door unlocked and went over to Logan's place and knocked on his door. He could see the man was home by his car in the driveway.

Logan had been sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper from the morning, when he stood up and went to see who was at the door. Calling upstairs for the kids to get their pajamas on, he turned the knob and came face to face with Jean-Luc. "Uh... Mister LeBeau...? Is Remy all right?" He asked confused.

"He's missin'," he said to clarify. "He left early dis mornin' an' he ain' come home yet. Said he went out to *investigate* what went on with dat tripe piece boyhood he got mixed up wid."

Logan's brow furrowed as he offered the man inside. "He was over here this mornin. I thought he went back over to talk to you.....? He's not there?"

"Non, he’s not dere. My son' didn' say two words t' me when he came back home; jus' rushed in an' right back out again," he grumbled. His boy was always pig-headed.

Logan shook his head. "Kids. Can I get ya anythin'? Coffee? Beer?"

"Would it be too much to ask... f' you t' help me look for 'im?" Jean-Luc asked, the true worry he felt leaking through his brick walled exterior.

Checking his watch, Logan glanced upstairs as Stephanie had come to stand on the top step. "I s'pose I could help. Just let me ask the neighbour to watch the kids." Looking back to Jean-Luc, he hoped he wouldn't be in the position that Remy's father was in but at the same time, he was more than willing to do anything for him.

"Thank you," he said gratefully and waited, his pacing the only sign of his fretting.

As Logan arranged for the lady next door to watch the kids, he tucked them in and told them where he was going. As he kissed Stephanie's forehead, she mentioned that Remy was all right but couldn't place where he was. "It's okay, baby. We'll find him." Shutting off the light and closing the door, he kept in mind what she said and repeated it to Jean-Luc as he reached the bottom step.

Jean-Luc looked up the steps toward the place Logan had just come down from. "How can she know?" he asked perplexed.

"My wife was...... gifted." Logan admitted quietly.

"I see," he said nodding. "Remy is too," he said, sympathizing... and assuring. He knew what a chore it was to raise Remy with his mother gone when his powers were just blossoming and he didn't know what to make of them yet. He also knew that there were many who would rebuke their kind.

"Steph has this gift- her mother had it to- that she can see into other people's minds and know what they were thinking and such. It didn't start until my wife passed away." Logan opened the door and turned the porch light on before letting Jean-Luc walk out before him.

"Remy's started soon after his mother died as well. It was all very hard on him," he recalled. "It didn't help with me ignorin' de boys-- throwin' m'self int' m' work... Maybe dat's why I can' keep any sorta hold on him now..." he mused, but walked toward his car. "Shall we start at de office-- see if anyone saw him?"

"Sure." Logan nodded and followed him to the black BMW. 

Unlocking the car, Jean-Luc got in the driver's seat and drove away as soon as they were buckled in. He was anxious to find any clues he could as to what happened to his son.

"I'll check my cameras and ask Tom, maybe he saw something." Admitting out loud and hoping someone saw the young Cajun, unless he knew how to avoid the cameras. Logan stared out the window most of the way there.

"Dat's de first place we should check," he agreed and parked in his spot.

Pulling up to the building, they parked the car before getting out and headed for the front door. Retrieving the keys from his pocket, he unlocked the door and waved to the guard behind the secretary's desk. "Just checkin the cameras Mike." He called as they headed for the camera room.

Jean-Luc stalked with a purpose to the security room with Logan beside him. His heart started pumping at the thought of what they might find... and his greatest fear was that they would find nothing....

Once inside, he let the guard, Tom, know what was going on and asked to see the front door tape from this morning. As Tom moved, Logan sat down and started rewinding the tape before watching each face that entered or left the building. "There he is comin in." Logan pointed out the young man in the business suit and auburn ponytail.

"Dis is right after he lef' dis mornin'," Jean-Luc commented, watching carefully over Logan's shoulder. "Where's he headin'?"

Logan grabbed another tape- elevator tape- and cued it up on another monitor. "Looks like his office."

"Should we check dere?" He asked. "Maybe he lef' somethin' on his computer?"

"Yea." Logan grabbed another set of keys from a key ring and headed to the elevators, flipping through the keys to find Remy's.

Jean-Luc was anxious to see what his son had been doing. They headed up and into Remy's office-- Logan opening it up for him and looked around seeing his computer monitor on and several papers on his desk. Frowning, Jean-Luc went to the papers and looked at them seeing a letter that was addressed to him. "Oh dieu... bon dieu, non," he whispered as he read.

"What's the matter?" Logan came to stand behind Jean-Luc, from looking on another desk, adjacent to his business desk, full of papers.

"It says...." Jean-Luc handed the note over to Logan, unable to read the letter out loud. 

"Poppa, I don' think I can tell ya how angry I am at what y' doin'. Guess I'm jus' gon' have t' show y'. Everythin's in order-- finally wrote out m' will like y' been buggin' f' years. I got in touch wid de people who have Alex. I'm tradin' him f' me. Your choice, poppa. You can have me back, or you can have de close t' half million I'm wort' given assets an' life insurance. I don' care any more... y' selfish bastard. I love you, poppa...... goodbye." The letter was hand written and underneath was the typed will.

Logan read over the note scrawled across the top of the document but only glanced through the will. "Hm. Sounds like a suicide mission. These people could be more dangerous than he'd expect." Rereading the note but talking to Jean-Luc, he only glanced up when he heard Jean-Luc's breath catch.

"M' poor foolish boy..." Jean-Luc found his eyes stinging, but he kept himself together. He couldn't help but feel the tremble though as he thought about what it would be like if that was the last thing his son ever said to him... if that was the last he saw him.

Logan empathized with the man on losing a stubbourn son but couldn't bring himself to say anything as he couldn't think of the right words. 

A moment of silence passed in the room before the intercom from Remy's phone buzzed in. "Logan..."

"Yea? What d' ya got?"

"I see the kid leavin' the buildin' and waitin' outside.... About ten minutes later, a limo pulled up and he got in." Tom's deep voice rang through the room as he was close to the speaker.

"A limo?" Jean-Luc asked. "Any license plate number visible in de camera?"

"No sir. He seemed to know them as he went willingly." The voice replied.

"We know de situation regardin' his departure," he said, trying to keep his voice even. "You sure you can' get me a computer enhanced view o' dat car's license plate?" *If you tell me no, you gon' be fired, y' sonofa...* Jean-Luc grumbled to himself.

"No sir. The plate must be in the front; no plate on the back of the car." Tom replayed the tape and slowed it down to a dull motion, getting very close to the screen to see if he could see the white of the plate.

"Keep workin' on it," he growled, displeased.

Tom sighed, frustrated. "Yes sir." There was only so much he could do with the equipment they had, and so far no plate was visible.

Jean-Luc turned to Logan. "Logan... tomorrow night, will y' come wid me t' meet dese bastards an' get my son back?" he asked. He would have to get his paperwork in order and pull as many strings as he could, but he was going to get his son back.

Getting as much information on the car as they could and having it not amount to much, they left the building and headed back to the car, checking the garage first. Logan scanned the parking garage for Remy's car. "The kid's car." He pointed to the white Corvette along the wall of the garage.

Jean-Luc took his extra key to Remy's car and opened the vehicle looking for anything else he might have left that might give them a clue as to where he was headed. He didn't know what he was going to find, but it didn't hurt to look and he was desperate. He was lucky he searched because tossed casually on the passenger's seat was the phone that belonged to Alex that the kidnappers had used to communicate with them. Grabbing it, he searched the rest of the car, but found nothing useful.

"Anythin?" Logan asked as stood a few feet away from the car, smoking a cigar. The tension was driving him mad and he needed a release.

"Dis," Jean-Luc handed the cell phone over to Logan and then leaned out of the car, finished with his search. "It's de phone dey called us on de first time. Happened when I tried to call de police from my cell phone. My guess is dat dey be watchin' all our calls. We wanna get in touch wid dem, we should go t' my office an' try de police," he said and started heading back inside.

"Right." Sighing, Logan followed him inside and up to Jean-Luc's office via the personal lift.

Inside the office, Jean-Luc took out his own cell phone and handed it to Logan. "Would you call de police wid dis?" he asked.

Logan took the phone and started dialing but just as soon as it started ringing, Alex's phone started to ring. Closing the phone Jean-Luc had handed him, Logan stared at Alex's phone as it continued.

Opening the phone, Jean-Luc answered it and growled into it, "What have you done with my son?"

"Touchy touchy, Mister LeBeau. This is the thanks I get for keeping your son alive? I could have tossed his cold body into a canal but, I've decided to keep him alive for the time being. He is in perfect health and doing well.... although, he looks a bit tired and quite needing his daddy to come bail him out. You have until tomorrow at 5 to hand over the company and 50,000$. Should I really say again, no police." The grungy voice laughed at him and listened to the growl from Jean-Luc.

"Where?" was all he growled out.

"Sundance Auditorium. Remember to wear something nice for the picture." 

"*Where* in de auditorium?" he growled more insistently. "Or am I t' be *contacted* again?"

"Around back..... I'm people shy."

"Papers have to be made out, or dey ain' legally bindin'. Who do I make dem to?" He prayed he would catch the sonofabitch that way, but figured he had a plan for that.

"I'll tell you my name tomorrow. No sense in spoiling the suspense now, is there?" The voice laughed and hung up as if they were on a timer.

Jean-Luc grumbled and closed the phone. He was going to have to start pulling some heavy strings and he was going to lose a lot... but it would be worth it to get his son back.

***********

Jean-Luc was clenching the brief case he held with white knuckles, he had a feeling he knew who it was that was blackmailing him. Inside was $50,000 in unmarked bills and the paperwork that would hand over his company to that competitor brat of a boy who ran his poor father's company now. Summers Inc. was in shambles because of the way it had been run and the boy thought he could reclaim some glory of the market by digging his fingers into an already successful company. Jean-Luc was pissed and couldn't stop thinking about how badly he was going to get the boy on every count of every disturbance of law his lawyers could come up with.

Logan had followed the limo in his white Envoy, with his two kids in tow. Stephanie sat in the back with her project beside her, and Matt sat in the front looking out the window. His mind churned over Remy's hasty actions and Alex's actions along with Jean-Luc's. He hadn't noticed that Matthew had said anything until he heard his name called again.

"Dad!" Matthew spoke up.

"Huh?" Logan turned his head to look from the road to his son.

Matt sat up as straight as he could in the seat and asked where Remy was.

Logan glanced back to the road and took a deep breath. "Some people that don't like his dad have him. So far, they haven't hurt him. We'll get him back, kiddo." Mussing Matt's hair, he smiled over his shoulder at Stephanie who looked a bit worried.

"You like him a lot, huh?" Matt asked.

Logan nodded. "Yea, he's a good kid.... just a bit too jumpy."

Matthew nodded and stared at the limo's emblem. "I think you'd screw him."

An eyebrow quirked and Logan's head turned immediately to his ten year old son. "You think so, huh....?"

"Yea."

"Right....." Logan nodded and went back to watching the road. "Watch yer language."

*************

Jean-Luc got out of the limo and went back to Logan's car and waited for Logan to roll down his window. "His instructions were dat I go alone," he said to Logan. "You an' de kids should go set up wid de rest of the fair... I'll call y' if anythin' happens," he said. He had given Logan his cell phone and he retained Alex's so they could get in touch with each other.

"Right." Logan nodded and rolled the window back up before unloading the kids and the project.

Stephanie who had been eerily quiet held Logan's hand and squeezed it before grabbing her project. "Daddy, something bad is gonna happen."

Logan patted her shoulder and reassured her that it would be all right.

Jean-Luc went to confront the pip-squeak who held Remy and get his son back, determination written all over his features. 

A sleek black limo pulled up just shortly after Jean-Luc arrived at the meeting spot, and stopped a good distance away from him. Scott stepped out and casually strolled over to him, a smirk on his face. "Evening. I trust you have the money....?"

"Every cent," he said holding up the briefcase. The money was at least worth his son's life, he would grant that. Of course, with how he was going to sue the life out of this boy, he would recoup with profit.

"Good. The deeds, as well?" Shoving his hands into his trouser pockets, Scott watched the man with guarded eyes behind the ruby shades.

"All here," he said, wishing the boy would take the smug look off his face. 

Holding out his hand to retrieve the case, Scott waited patiently. "I'll take that, then."

Jean-Luc wasn't about to extend his hand. "My *son,*" he growled. "Release him to me now."

"Certainly." Holding his hand out to the side and snapping his fingers, the car door opened again and a young man stepped out. "Unharmed, for the most part." He smiled but didn't turn around to see Remy walking towards them, slowly.

Remy stopped once he was parallel with Scott and he looked up at his father. Jean-Luc looked concerned at the way Remy looked worn and upset-- not happy to be getting out of there, but he would address all of that later. "We exchange at de same time. Remy walks over an' I hand you de case," he said dictating the terms.

Shrugging, Scott agreed. "Okay."

Remy stepped toward his father and was shaking a bit, just waiting for Scott to pull something and Remy saw his father reach out to hand the case to Scott. Remy hugged his father as soon as the case was in Scott's hand.

"Aw, how touching......" Scott feigned and reached a hand to his shades. "Goodbye Mister and Miss LeBeau." He was ready to aim his beam at Remy's back, knowing the laser would go right through both of them, when he heard Alex run up behind him.

"NO!" Alex screamed as he ran from the door of the car to knock Scott off his feet.

"Alex!" Remy shouted concerned and watched Scott go down.

He rushed to Alex and grabbed for his hand to drag him away from Scott.

Hands from behind grabbed Remy and tossed him out of the way of danger as claws surfaced from big, strong hands. Logan hadn't liked the way the situation was laid out, and had kept an eye on them from around the corner. Growling loudly and moving towards Scott, still on the ground, he was caught off guard and blasted back by the beam the young man controlled.

"Remy. Are you okay?" Alex hugged him and checked the Cajun over for any damage.

"Fine," he said but was more concerned with Scott and went to grasp something he could throw at Scott. It ended up being dirt from the ground, but that wasn't important. It was enough to cause damage to their assailant.

Dust had flown into Logan's eyes but Scott got the majority of the dirt. As he raised a fist of metal claws over Scott, a voice called to him and grabbed his arm from behind. In his anger flared state, Logan was unable to determine friend or foe and swung around to plant his claws to the knuckles into the stomach of Remy's boyfriend, Alex, as the young man tried to stop him from killing his brother.

As the claws were removed, Alex staggered back with a look of utter shock on his face. "Ow." Was all his voice would let him say.

"Alex!!!" Remy cried and was at Alex's side in an instant, cradling him in his arms.

Blood had already soaked his peach T-shirt as he sank to the ground, head back and staring upwards at the blue sky. "Remy..?" A whisper that hadn't sounded like his voice seemed to echo in his own ears as his tears slipped down his temples. He searched for the young man who held him and shivered. "It's cold."

Logan slid his claws in slowly as he watched the two on the ground. "I-I'm sorry, kid." Hanging his head, a deep sigh escaped him.

"Non... Alex...." Remy whimpered and held him tight, trying to give him all his warmth... but there was nothing he could do as he watched the life fade from the eyes he had loved.

"Sorry I hurt you-..." His voice trailed off and his head fell back lifeless, eyes glazing over. He had wanted to tell Remy he loved him but his time ran short and he slipped away quietly.

"No!!" Remy cried and tears fell onto Alex's blank face.

Scott sat there, feet from them, and stared at his brother's blood, horrified. "He's dead?"

Claws unsheathed as Logan turned back around to glare at Summers. "You wanna join him?"

From the way Alex started to grow cold in his embrace much faster than he would have thought, he was certain that he was in fact dead. He nodded to Scott's question and clutched his body closer.

Remy glared at Logan, but remained silent.

Sirens wailed from the street and grew louder as they surrounded the back of the building. Police and an ambulance were called to the scene as Stephanie stood with her back to the setting sun, at the edge of the building.

Remy was crying as quietly as he could over Alex's body. Thoughts of him passed like lightening through his mind and he shook heavily watching how different his features were in death. Jean-Luc tried to go to Remy and place a hand on his shoulder, but Remy shrugged away from his father's touch and he cradled Alex more securely.

Feeling helpless, Jean-Luc sat on the ground beside Remy and gripped his shoulders to help steady him.

"Sir?" A short female paramedic squatted down and gently tried to ease Remy away from Alex. "Sir, you have to let go now. We'll take care of him but, we need you to let go, okay?" Placing a hand on Remy's shoulder and the other on Alex's right arm, she kept her voice soft and gentle. "It's okay. Please, you need to let go, now."

"Please... I can'..." he cried and shook as his muscles refused to let go of Alex. "I can' let 'im go...."

Logan knelt beside Remy and placed his hands on his shoulders. "He's gone, Remy. Let the boy go. C'mon,..... let go. They'll take care of him, I promise. Let's get ya home, okay?"

Anger and frustration welled up in Remy as he felt so incredibly powerless, but he let go of Alex with one hand and gripped Logan with it instead. His grip wasn't the type that was seeking comfort-- he was enraged. "Take care of him?! How can dey?! He's gone an' it's my fault!!" He needed to hold Alex... to explain that he was sorry... that he loved him....he couldn't do that once they took him away.

Logan shook his head. "No, it was my fault. I should have stopped before he got close. But, he knows how you feel about him. He knows. C'mon, let's get you cleaned up and into a comfy bed for some rest." Glancing up at Jean-Luc, he nodded and helped Remy to his feet.

Remy couldn't seem to stop the tears and he looked for Scott so he could glare at him. He was so angry he could hardly contain himself and he was mad at everyone... especially himself. He was mad at his father for not responding in the first place, he was mad at himself for falling into such a trap, he was mad at Logan for thinking like his father and not being supportive, and for his flying claws and his rage-- he was mad at Scott for the coward he was and for the evil things he was doing, and he was mad at Alex... for betraying him... and for leaving him.

Two officers cuffed and hauled a stunned Scott away reading him his rights before helping him into the backseat of the cruiser next to the ambulance Alex's body was being loaded onto. From the rearview mirror, he watched as Logan comforted Remy as best he could before they stopped to talk to a detective. As the car pulled away, a pang of guilt and an icy chill ran down his back as he realized that his brother was dead.

The End.


	9. Epilogue

Having the chance to unwind from being willingly kidnapped and saved by his father and Logan, Remy felt he wasn't safe from his memories of Alex and how he had lost a good lover. Overwhelming him from all angles made it difficult for him to even set foot on the front step, let alone inside his own house.

Breaking down into tears at the site of Alex's face in a picture in his wallet, his only saving grace was in the form of Logan and his house across the street. He slept on Logan's bed that night and most of the next day, waking only when Logan came home to check on him and see if he needed anything. "Non." Was the only reply he gave each time he was asked. He rolled away from the door and stared out the window, drowsily watching for something or someone he recognised.

Logan sat down behind him and placed a hand on his arm, he sighed and tried to think of something to say. "Look, uh, the last time I tried to comfort someone after a loved one died, she gave me a headache that would level a city. You can stay here as long as you want but, sooner or later, yer gonna have to move on and get back to who you are." Patting Remy's arm, he watched the young man move as if underwater. He stood up and was about to leave but took a moment to watch Remy.

Remy blinked slowly and nodded as he continued to stare out the window, at the backyard. His voice hurt from screaming and crying, his head pounded the noise of the scene and then the loss of his love. Jean-Luc had offered him a place to stay at his house but he wouldn't have been able to sleep as his bedroom had been the first place he and Alex made love. He needed to be in a place where the boy hadn't been, and Logan's seemed to fit. It was quiet at Logan's..... drowningly quiet. "Where's de kids?"

Half-hearing the question, Logan turned back to look at Remy. "They're in school. It's about lunchtime, I just figured I'd come check on ya."

Pushing himself to sit up and shifting to face Logan, Remy looked out of place. "De girl s'okay?"

"Steph? Yea, she's fine. She's a little concerned about you but, another school day."

Remy looked away. "Oh."

Sitting back down on the bed, Logan sighed inwardly. "Did you want me to bring ya anythin' from yer house? I could set'cha up in a hot bath while I run over and get a few things. You can camp out here for a week or so, and the kids'll be quiet."

Shaking his head, Remy sighed. "Non. Jus' gonna be harder t' leave t'morrow. Have ta clear out his stuff from my house an' his apartment."

Logan nodded. "Whenever yer ready."

Remy grabbed Logan's arm and drew a ragged breath as he really hadn't wanted to ask. "I'll go, if you come wit' me?" Biting his lip and hoping Logan would say yes, he blinked at the older man and swallowed.

"Okay."

Sliding off of the bed, Remy headed for Logan's bathroom to splash some water on his face before they left. Rinsing his mouth out, Remy glanced up into the mirror and saw Logan standing at the door, watching him and waiting.

"I-uh- brought yer car back. It's sittin in the driveway." Logan pushed off the door as Remy dried his face and turned to face him.

Remy smiled. "Merci." He was unsure about going home but really had no intention of getting in Logan's way anymore than he already had.

Logan led the way into the livingroom, as his bedroom was across from his office, but stopped at the front door when he felt a tug on his sleeve. "You okay?"

Remy nodded, he was having second thoughts but only he seemed to hear them voiced. "Okay." Waiting for Logan to open the door, he led the way over to his doorstep. His hands shook as he placed the key to the lock.

Logan stood behind him and pushed the key in, helping him unlock the door. Turning the knob and pushing the door open, he rubbed his hands over Remy's forearms. "Take yer time, kid."

Standing in the doorway for well over a few minutes, he finally took a daring step forward. He held his breath and took another step into the house until he reached the kitchen counter. He sat on the first stool and sighed. "Can still smell his aftershave." A moment of silence had passed and Remy hadn't bothered to look at Logan. "Think I'll sleep down here, t'night. Too many ghosts upstairs." Nodding as if agreeing with himself, Remy finally glanced over at the older man. He smiled faintly but let it fade as he continued. "Ghosts down here, too. First night I moved in, we made love on de counter. An' when I came home from de hospital, I slept on de sofa while he sleep on de floor. Tol' him ta go home but, he stayed all night." 

Nodding and listening, Logan stood there silent. He wasn't sure as to why Remy trusted him enough to hear the personal details but, he wasn't about to close his ears to a friend. "You want me to go up and get some stuff for ya, or do you think you can make it? Fix ya some lunch? A drink?"

Remy shook his head and pushed himself up off the stool. "I can make it."

Logan checked his watch but tried not to seem impatient.

Remy stood on the first stair and turned to look at Logan. "Ya can go back ta work, Logan. I'll be okay." He smiled softly.

"No, but if I could use the phone a minute..... I'll let Carl know I'll be a bit late." Smiling back, Logan wasn't about to leave Remy quite yet.

"Mais oui. De cordless is by de sofa." Pointing to where the phone was, Remy waited for Logan to make to call before taking another step upstairs.

When the call ended, Logan placed the phone back on the charger and turned to see Remy hadn't moved from the step. "You okay?" Taking a step forward, he asked.

Remy nodded and smiled. "Can talk to poppa 'bout you helpin' me. Mebbe he give you a raise, non?"

Logan wasn't about to say no but, he didn't really feel right accepting it for only keeping an eye on Remy. He smiled and nodded his thanks as they went upstairs. "You uh, got stuff over at his place?" Asking as they made it to the top and hesitated before going into the bedroom.

"Non, his parents disowned him when he told dem who he was datin'. Don' know what I'm gonna do wit' his stuff but,...." His voice trailed off as he stared into the room and pictured Alex lying on the bed, after they had just made love, and smiling at him. A shiver rolled down his back as he turned away to look at Logan.

Taking a deep breath, Logan inhaled a scent of fear and displacement. "Tell ya what, why don't you just tell me what's his, and I'll pack it up for ya. That way you won't have to deal with his stuff just yet."

"Kay."

Logan listened for a moment, the mailman had stopped at Remy's box and deposited the mail. Both looking to the downstairs window, Logan offered to go bring it in for Remy. "You wanna try walking to the mailbox?"

Remy shook his head.

"Want me to go?"

Nodding and then grabbing Logan's arm as if something might happen to him along the way.

Logan patted his hand. "It's okay. I'll be right back, promise."

"Okay." Releasing Logan, Remy watched him go downstairs and out the front door, only to return moments later with the mail. He noticed Logan's expression as he stared at the name on the first letter. "What's it say?" He asked as Logan came back up the stairs and stopped in front of him.

Logan sighed and looked from the envelope to Remy. "It's a letter addressed to you and Al--" He wasn't allowed to finish as Remy's hand flew to his mouth.

"Don'.... please, don' say his name." Removing his hand, he pleaded with Logan with his eyes and refused to take the letter. "T'row it away. Don' want it." He turned away and then back again. "Second t'ought..... I'll keep it." Taking it from Logan and holding it tightly in his hands.

Logan nodded. "Okay." He jumped as his beeper went off. "Oh, I gotta get back, sounds like an emergency. I'll uh- check on ya in a few hours, okay? You'll be all right 'til then?"

Remy nodded and stared at the envelope.

"Try and eat somethin, okay? Don't think about it too much; it ain't good for ya to work yerself up." Patting Remy's upper left arm, he told him good-bye and headed back down the stairs.

As Logan left, Remy looked up from the envelope and found himself alone. "Try not to t'ink about it too much." He repeated in a whisper. "Hm, what else am I s'posed ta do?" Sitting down on the first step, Remy drew his legs up and wrapped his arms around them and waited. 

~~~~

The hours had passed and Logan came and went, Remy found himself sitting on the floor of the livingroom, watching cartoons. As the theme song of the next cartoon ended, the cordless rang. After having it next to him most of the afternoon, Remy picked it up and answered it. "Oui?"

"Remy, s' poppa. You alright, mon fils?"

Eyes never leaving the screen, Remy answered. "Yea. Logan's been and gone, took a bat', ate some popcorn."

Jean-Luc exited the elevator and headed for his car. "You wanna come spend de night at home?"

A sullen reply. "No." Remy laid down on the carpet and continued to watch the cartoon while talking to his father. "Poppa, would ya come here..... please?"

Jean-Luc stopped fiddling with his keys and stood in front of the car door. He took a deep breath and listened to how Remy asked. Remy was asking to spend time with him, after all the harsh words in the past. "Oui, I'll be dere in 15 minutes."

"Okay." They said their good-byes and hung up. Remy was beginning to feel uncomfortably cold and the quiet was getting on his nerves quite easily. He lay there in the dark with only the light of the television to brighten the room.

Jean-Luc had been right, on the 16th minute, he placed Remy's spare key in the door, knocked and announced himself as he opened it and entered the dark house. "Remy?" It had taken Jean-Luc a good minute and a half for his eyes to adjust as he searched the two rooms before finding Remy on the floor, in front of the television. Closing the door and locking it, he came to bend over his son and gently touch his shoulder. "Remy, c'est poppa."

Remy turned his head to look up at his father, and smiled faintly. As Jean-Luc stood up, Remy pushed himself to his feet and turned to hug him tightly. Clearing his throat, Remy pushed away and headed for the kitchen. "Ya eat yet? Could make ya somet'in' or order a pizza?" He felt a little lost, like he had to do something for someone, anyone but himself.

"Pizza's fine. Come sit down, I'll call." Jean-Luc waved Remy back to the livingroom, and made the call to the pizza place. He ordered Remy's favourite and a side of breadsticks.

Within 30 minutes, the pizza had been delivered and the two sat down on the floor of the livingroom and shared the pizza. Remy had poured some iced tea and brought the pitcher over for them to wash down the food. They sat there, watching cartoons and eating pizza, Jean-Luc had talked Remy into turning at least one light on to the lowest setting and dined in silence.

"De funeral is Sunday. Was t'inkin' about goin." Remy said as he had finished his slice of pizza and set the plate down in front of him.

Jean-Luc swallowed and nodded. "You sure?"

"I owe him, poppa." Hanging his head, Remy felt a little guilty. 

Leaning over, Jean-Luc placed his hand on Remy's shoulder and spoke reassuringly. "It wasn't your fault, cher."

Remy nodded. "I know. But, coulda done somethin, poppa."

Jean-Luc thought for a minute and stared at the cartoon before speaking again. "You know, when you an' Henri were little, evr't'ing had ta be just so. You two would fight like wolverines over a simple thing, but if anyone else got in de way, one would always back up de other."

"Meaning?"

Turning from the television to Remy, Jean-Luc finished. "Meaning he saved you from Scott, den he tried to save Scott from himself."

Remy looked to the floor. "Den Logan killed him."

"He was only protecting you. He had no idea de boy would sneak up behind him."

Sighing, Remy shrugged.

~~~~

Remy lie on his bed, facing his father that sat on the floor, to his left. Jean-Luc had tucked him in under the covers and made sure he was warm enough as he was only in his boxers and a T-shirt. "Didn' think it'd be like dis. Always figured, I'd go first.... den whoever follow me. But, I promised dat I'd take care of him, poppa." He sniffled and wiped a hand at his nose.

It was dark in the room but light enough for Jean-Luc to stare at his son's face and move a lock of hair from his right cheek to behind his ear. "S' never like what you think. I had hoped your momma would outlive me." 

Huddling down deeper into his bedding, Remy shivered. "I tol' him goodbye, de day before. I jus' couldn' handle it anymore. He needed me 24-7 so, I couldn't be who I was. So, we made love an', I tol' him goodbye." He refused to cry in front of his father, or anyone else so, he closed his eyes and counted in French to 10.

Jean-Luc took a long, deep breath while his eyes were closed and opened them to asked what he had been wanting to ask for several years. "Why a boy, Remy? What's wrong with a belle?"

"Poppa, I know ya wanted a weddin', an' gran'kids but not gonna change ta be somethin I'm not. He wasn't a fille, I know. But, you never approved of who I dated anyway. Never cared ta date a girl..... de t'ought of bein' taget'er made me sick." Remy sniffled again and cleared his throat.

Throughout the whole evening, Jean-Luc had only listened to Remy say "he" and "him", not the name. He remembered that he did the same thing when his wife died, which made it hard to remember her name, now. "Who is 'he', Remy? What was 'his' name?" He could see the far away look in Remy's eyes as Remy tried to figure out what he was asking.

Remy sat up. "You know who, poppa." He wasn't sure as to why Jean-Luc cared to hear Alex's name but, when he tried to say it, it came out as "he" and "him".

Jean-Luc raised himself up to sit on the side of the bed. "Who, Remy?" Placing his hands on thin arms. "He had a name, what was it?" His voice raised a bit as he gave Remy a small shake.

"You know who! H-H-Him!"

"Don't do dis, Remy. I did de same thing when your mother died, now I can't remember her name!" Jean-Luc shook him harder and ground his teeth, insistent that his son didn't forget who he loved and held as he died. "What was his name?!"

Remy was becoming angry, and tired. He didn't want to scream at his father but it just happened that way. "Her name was Michelle! Her name was Michelle an'..... he.... his name is...." he took a breath. "was.... Alex! ALEX!" He couldn't hold it back any longer, the tears flooded his eyes and dripped in steady streams down his cheeks. Pressing against his father, Remy hugged him tightly, needingly. 

Jean-Luc wrapped his arms around him and held him, taking the screaming, crying, struggling, and hugging Remy had let out. "I know. Shh shh... I know. Jus' cry, mon fils. Jus' cry all you want."

It was sometime later that Remy finally cried himself into exhaustion. He held onto Jean-Luc's shirt and took a deep breath before opening his eyes and laying back down. He smiled faintly to let his father know he was alright, as Jean-Luc stood up to go. "Poppa, would you stay wit' me....? Here, 'til I fall asleep? Don' wanna be alone."

Sighing and nodding, Jean-Luc smiled back and walked around to the other side of the bed to lay ontop of the covers and whisper a lullaby to help Remy sleep.

~~~~

The day of the funeral, Remy stood there in his black suit and matching shirt. The black shades hid the sadness and glare of the sun. His hands fisted in his pants pockets as the priest gave the sermon. He was mainly still in shock, with the only hint of comfort being the thought of "feeling" Alex's arms around him, holding him. Deep breaths were all that held him up as his legs had started to shake. Remy stared at the casket for most of the time, and when he did look up, he saw Alex's parents seated across from him.

When the priest was finished, Remy was fully shaking. A deep breath and a slow stride over to where they now stood, he had to tell them he was sorry. Forcing a small smile, Remy inhaled and spoke softly. "Monsieur et madame Summers, I'm very s-" He had started to say but was slapped hard on the left cheek by Mrs. Summers.

"I know who you are and what you want. You killed my baby. First, you took him away, then you twist his mind against us. Now, he's dead because of you. How dare you stand there and say you're sorry." Mrs. Summers cried as she stood there and shook herself out of her husband's grasp.

Remy flinched as she spat on his shirt and walked away.Hanging his head and sighing, he walked back to the limo his father had for him and climbed into the backseat. His cheek was numb from the slap and his eyes threatened tears. "Home, Cameron." He had to yell as his voice wasn't willing to speak up voluntarily.

When the limo dropped him off and he was inside and alone in the house, he locked the door and fell to his knees in tears. "Wasn't my fault!" He cried, half-hoarsely.

~~~~

Weeks went by and Remy had stayed away from everyone, outside of work. Inside, he kept the blinds pulled and focused solely on his work.

Logan had kept a steady eye on him but grew more and more concerned each day. As he was leaving one night, he noticed Remy's light on from the floor camera. As he made his final rounds before letting the next shift take over, he decided to pay Remy a visit. Knocking on the office door, he listened for Remy to answer.

"Come in, Logan." Remy sighed but didn't look up from his reports.

Logan opened the door and peered in. "Hey kid, how ya been?"

Remy put down the pen, looked up at Logan and sighed. "Still alive. You?"

Stepping in and closing the door, Logan smiled. "That's good. I'm okay. Haven't seen ya in a while so, we figured you'd come out on yer own."

Remy smiled.

"Anyway, I'm about to go home for the night. Was wonderin' if I could get ya somethin'?" He had noticed that for the past three months, Remy seemed to eat like a bird, and his clothes had gotten a little big on him.

Remy shook his head. "Non, t'anks Logan. Just gonna finish some paperwork, den go home."

Logan backed up and opened the door. "Okay. I'm still across the street, iffin' ya want to talk."

Nodding and smiling appreciatively, Remy thanked him and said good night. He waited for the bell of the lift before he started writing again. Writing a few lines before losing his train of thought, he stood up and decided it could wait til morning.

~~~~

He missed the next week due to not feeling well, and pretty much stayed in bed until the last day. Remy was tired of sleeping and watching television as well as working from home so, he dressed, made himself a glass of iced tea and sat on his front step to wait for the mailman. Sitting there in gray sweatpants, untied sneakers, and a black Rock T-shirt, Remy stared at the Envoy in Logan's driveway. It was only 10 in the morning and Remy thought he had missed a day as he didn't think it was Logan's day off.

Sitting with his knees up and arms draped over his knees, Remy reached up and slid the shades down to look over them. "S' Friday, right? Didn' t'ink Logan had de day off, less poppa fired him....?" He mumbled mainly to himself but spoke outloud.

Twenty-two minutes later the mailman made his rounds but Remy sat there until Logan came out to get his mail. They waved to each other and Remy stood to go and get his mail from the box. 

Logan walked over to meet him at the box and talk a minute. "Feelin' any better? Yer dad said yer chest was playin tricks on ya, again."

"Oui. Just needed to rest; overworked."

Logan nodded in understanding.

"What ya doin home?"

"Have to work tonight, Tom's takin the weekend in the mountains."

"Oh." Remy nodded. "Ya need someone to watch de kids?" He had felt bad that he had stayed away from Matthew and Stephanie and decided to try and make up for lost times.

Logan squinted at the brightness of the sun. "I was gonna have Sara, next door, look after them. I figured, if you didn't feel well, I wasn't gonna set my monsters loose on ya."

"Oh. Okay." Clearing his throat, Remy was at a loss for words. "Can I come by an' see dem tomorrow?"

"Sure. I'm sure they'll talk both yer ears off at once."

Remy smiled, they at least haven't forgotten about him. A minute of silence passed before Remy's wristwatch beeped at him, reminding him to take his pills. "Oh. Uh, my pills. You want to come inside, made some iced tea....?" Looking hopeful, he was tired of being alone in the house.

Sensing Remy's need for company, he smiled. "Okay, for a few minutes." He followed Remy into the house and took a look around. "On a cleanin kick, huh?" Noting that the inside was cleaner than how he kept his house.

Remy had busied himself with getting glasses and pouring the tea before grabbing his bottle of pills from the countre and taking two. "Hm? Uh, haven't slept well, lately. Washed my car and had scrambled eggs at t'ree dis mornin."

Accepting the glass Remy handed him, Logan smiled. "Eggs at three, huh?"

"Saw it in an old movie, once." Remy nodded and smiled.

Logan looked around the livingroom and noted that Remy had placed the letter, addressed to him and Alex, on the mantle of the fireplace as if it were a picture. "Did uh,... you manage to get everything cleared out of the apartment, or did you need some help?" He hated to ask and felt bad that he did when it was really none of his business.

Remy cringed and flinched at the envelope in the other room. "Oui. Poppa an' a few friends helped, a few days after de funeral. Have most of his stuff in storage, de rest..... his parents took an' sold." Pausing for a minute, Remy offered Logan a place to sit and talk. He followed Logan into the livingroom and sat a foot away from him on the sofa. He was nervous- which was a rarity for Remy- and found himself oblivious to words.

"Are you findin somethin to occupy yer time, other than work?"

"Non," Remy shook his head. "just work."

Logan inhaled and set his glass down on a stone coaster on the table beside the sofa. Turning to face Remy, he could see the weeks of little sleep and seclusion had taken their toll on the young man. "Look, uh, this may be outta place but, when Jean died, I felt the whole world cave in around me. My kids thought I'd surely join her if they didn't do somethin. So, they dragged me to movies, the park, fairs..... finally I realised that eventhough she's gone, there's still life beyond the pulled curtains." He bit his lip as he saw his words slowly getting through to Remy. "There's people out there for ya, kid. Don't be afraid to smile, again." He smiled as Remy turned to face him.

Nodding, Remy looked down at his hands that fidgeted. "I know. Poppa was de same way after momma died. Always t'ought dat women were so fragile so, Remy turned ta men. Found out dey're just as fragile. Tried to protect him but only got him killed." He looked up, into Logan's eyes and searched for some compassion. "Who's gonna take care of Remy?"

Sighing deeply, Logan thought of what to say next. He knew that he couldn't say anything to turn Remy off completely but, he wasn't able to find anything he could say to help him, either. Resting a thumb against Remy's pale cheek, he blinked and moved closer. "It's always a gamble with people but, those who really know you, will want to be with you,- just you."

Running his tongue along his lips out of nerves, Remy took the dare and moved closer to him before gently kissing Logan's lips and scooting closer still. His arms slid up and around the wide ribcage and held Logan close to him as the kiss deepened. He felt a feeling he had deprived himself of for the longest time; love.

 

End.


End file.
